John hall and his epileptic patients—epilepsy management in early 17th century england

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John Hall, a physician, practised in Stratford in the early 17th century and was the son-in-law of William Shakespeare. During his career he kept records of his patients (in Latin) which he may have been preparing for publication when he died. Despite his instruction for them to be destroyed some were later translated into English and published by another physician. The case records were popular and have recently been reprinted with a commentaryl. We have searched the case records for descriptions of epilepsy and examined the treatments offered (and the attitudes to) this condition in early 17th century England. Treatment consisted of standard remedies ('fumes' of hartshorn and extracts of peony) related to the Galenic system of medicine, plus individual remedies. Interestingly, there is no evidence that the condition was stigmatized.