A Statistical Inquiry Into the Nature and Treatment of Epilepsy

by Alexander Hughes Bennett

The greater number amongst the unmarried females is probably due to the list including children, and also to the fact that epilepsy is not an attraction to a man who purposes matrimony. Of the married females—

The attacks were uninfluenced by marriage in	68.1 per cent.
The attacks were diminished after marriage in	27.2 per cent.
The attacks were increased after marriage in	4.5 per cent.

Thus, in the majority of cases, marriage seems to have no influence on the epileptic attacks of women, although in 27.2 per cent. the fits appear to have been diminished after that ceremony.

Of the married females there were—

Children in	82.3 per cent.
No children in	17.6 per cent.

Age.—In one hundred cases the age at which the first attack of epilepsy took place will be seen from the following tables:—

	Males.	Females.	Total.
From 1 to 10 years	9	14	23
From 10 to 20 years	11	23	34
From 20 to 30 years	14	9	23
From 30 to 40 years	10	6	16
From 40 to 50 years	1	0	1
From 50 to 60 years	2	1	3

It will thus be seen that, in males, the most prevalent period for the first invasion of epilepsy is from the tenth to the thirtieth year; in females, from the first to the twentieth year. In both sexes the disease rarely commences after forty. The following table shows the ages of the patients under observation:—

	Males.	Females.	Total.
From 1 to 10 years	4	1	5
From 0 to 20 years	10	20	30
From 20 to 30 years	17	15	32
From 30 to 40 years	11	9	20
From 40 to 50 years	2	6	8
From 50 to 60 years	3	2	5

This indicates that cases of epilepsy comparatively rarely come under observation after the age of forty. A large series of cases would however be required to determine any definite conclusions as to the mortality and longevity of the patients.