Abstracts

Research Question: Since the 15th century, epileptics have been present as attributes in depictions of the patron St. Valentine. The objective of this research was to examine whether it was possible to gain insight into the history of childhood epilepsy from the representation of St. Valentine in Christian Art. The research is based on 310 portrayals of St. Valentine from Germany, Italy, France, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic dating from the 15th to the 20th century. They were examined concerning frequency and semiology of childhood seizures. As far as could be specified 41 of the 250 epileptics depicted (190 of which are male or of indeterminate sex) are babies or toddlers, 11 are older children and 11 are adolescents. The earliest representations of babies suffering from seizures date from the 17th century, the partially show striking similarities to infantile spasm. The illustrations of older children mostly show atonic seizures that lead to falls as well as tonic seizures. In two cases, an interpretation of the depictions suggests absences. Four pictures of female adolescents could be interpreted as the illustration of psychogenic seizures. Despite the fact that from a modern perspective, the last six centuries seemed to be dominated by a rather superstitious attitude towards epilepsy, there is an amazing accuracy of detail in the semiology of seizures in many of the portrayals.