Occupation and Profession.—These do not appear to have any special relation to the production of epilepsy.

Hereditary Tendency.—In each of the cases under observation a very careful inquiry was made into the family history. This was confined to the parents, grand parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, and children of the patient. The following are the results:—

No family history of epilepsy, insanity, nervous or other hereditary disorders in 59 per cent.

One or more members of family affected with one or more of the above disorders in 41 per cent.

Of these last, in which there was a tainted hereditary history, one or more members of the family suffered from—

Epilepsy in63.4 per cent.
Insanity in12.1 per cent.
Phthisis in12.1 per cent.
Asthma in2.4 per cent.
Apoplexy in2.4 per cent.
Hysteria in2.4 per cent.
Hemiplegia in2.4 per cent.
Spinal complaint in2.4 per cent.

Concerning the above table, it is to be remarked that frequently the patient had several relatives suffering from different diseases; for example, one with epilepsy, a second with insanity, and so on. In such a case these have been classified under epilepsy, and, if this did not exist, under insanity, or other afflictions in the above order.

Of those cases in which epilepsy was present in the family of the patient, it existed in the following members:—

Father in11.5 per cent.
Mother in7.6 per cent.
Father, mother, and brother in3.8 per cent.
Mother and child in3.8 per cent.
Grandmother, mother, and two sisters in3.8 per cent.
Mother and sister in3.8 per cent.
Grandfather in7.6 per cent.
Grandmother in3.8 per cent.
Brother in11.5 per cent.
Sister in11.5 per cent.
Two brothers in3.8 per cent.
Sister and child in7.6 per cent.
Brother and uncle in3.8 per cent.
Two uncles in3.8 per cent.
Uncle in3.8 per cent.
Aunt in3.8 per cent.
Child in3.8 per cent.

From these figures it will be seen that in no less than 41 per cent. of the total number of cases there was a distinct family history of hereditary disease. Of these no less than 87.5 per cent. were affections of the nervous system, and 12.1 per cent. of phthisis. Of the former 63.4 per cent. had relatives afflicted with epilepsy, and 12.1 per cent. with insanity. Epilepsy, according to these figures is eminently a hereditary disease, and it is possible even to a greater extent than is here represented; for the family history is often very difficult to arrive at, in the class of persons on whom most of these observations were made, who, either from ignorance or from prejudice, display a great want of knowledge concerning the health of their ancestors.