a peculiar, one-sided headache which takes
the form of severe, periodic attacks or paroxysms, and is often
inherited. It recurs at more or less regular intervals, as on a
certain day of each week, fortnight or month, and the attacks appear
and disappear at regular hours. The disorder generally persists for
years and then goes away. If it begins in childhood, as it frequently
does between the years of five and ten, it may stop with the coming of
adult life, but if not outgrown at this time it commonly vanishes
during late middle life, about the age of fifty-one in a man, or with
the "change of life" in a woman. While in many instances arising
without apparent cause, yet in others sick headache may be
precipitated by indigestion, by eye-strain, by enlarged tonsils and
adenoids in children, or by fatigue.

There may be some warning of the approach of a sick headache, as
mental depression, weariness, disturbances of sight, buzzing in the
ears, or dizziness. The pain begins at one spot on one side of the
head (more commonly the left), as in the eye, temple, or forehead, and
later spreads over the whole side of the head and, in some cases, the
neck and arm. The face may be pale, or pale on one side and red on the
other. The headache is of a violent, boring nature, aggravated by
light and noise, so that the patient is incapacitated for any exertion
and is most comfortable when lying down in a quiet, dark room.
Vomiting usually comes on after a while, and often gives relief. The
headache lasts several hours or all day, rarely longer. The duration
is usually about the same in the case of any particular individual who
is suddenly relieved at a certain hour generally after vomiting, a
feeling of well-being and an enormous appetite following often.
Patients may feel perfectly well between the attacks, but if they
occur frequently the general health suffers.

In the majority of cases there is no apparent cause discoverable save
heredity, and for these the following treatment is applicable. Each
case should, however, be carefully studied by a physician, if
possible, as only in this way can any existing cause be found and
removed.

=Treatment.=--Any article of diet which experience has shown to
provoke an attack should naturally be avoided. A Seidlitz powder, or
tablespoonful of Epsom salts in a glassful of water, is advisable at
the onset of an attack. Rubbing the forehead with a menthol pencil
will afford some relief. Hot stron