Jennings wrote: "Instead of fits tending to the destruction of life, they tend to its preservation; and indeed, are as absolutely necessary, in some cases, for the ekeing out of life, as the repairs of a ship, everyday thumped against the rocks, are for its salvation. No man ever died by a fit; and when a man dies in a fit his life is prolonged somewhat by it."--Medical Reform, P. 145.

Improved control of semi-paralyzed limbs following immediately upon a convulsion would indicate that the convulsion is often a means of reestablishing lost nervous channels. Such phenomena are common following inflammation of the brain which has left, as an after effect, only partial control of the limbs.

This hygienic view of fits and convulsions has received confirmation from an unexpected source--the regular medical profession. Dr. "Woods Hutchinson, discussing some experiments conducted by regular medical men, says: "Results followed which are well under way to revolutionize the practice of medicine. First, the discovery that the healthy human organism possessed inherent powers of defense against disease and that many of what we put down as symptoms of disease and even as parts of the disease process, such as pain, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, shivering, fits and some forms of convulsions, are parts of Nature's efforts to get rid of the poison. Our proper function is to intelligently assist Nature in her efforts, instead of thwarting her at every turn and suppressing every symptom as quickly as we can find a club to beat it down with."