General health prior to the first attack.—As far as could be ascertained this was—
| Unimpaired in | 90 per cent. |
| Delicate in | 10 per cent. |
By the term delicate is understood any chronic derangement of health. The figures serve to indicate that, in the large majority of cases epilepsy has no necessary connection with the impaired general health of the patient.
Special illnesses prior to the first attack.—There were—
| No antecedent diseases in | 78 per cent. |
| Antecedent diseases in | 32 per cent. |
Of these persons who, prior to the first attack of epilepsy, had suffered from illnesses, the details are as follows:—
| Convulsions at dentition in | 43.7 per cent. |
| Rheumatic fever in | 12.5 per cent. |
| Chorea in | 6.2 per cent. |
| Mental derangement in | 6.2 per cent. |
| Constant headache in | 6.2 per cent. |
| Suppurating glands in | 3.1 per cent. |
| Brain fever (?) in | 3.1 per cent. |
| Small-pox in | 3.1 per cent. |
| Typhus fever in | 3.1 per cent. |
| Spinal curvature in | 3.1 per cent. |
| Somnambulism in | 3.1 per cent. |
| Scarlatina in | 3.1 per cent. |
The only special feature of this table is the fact that, of the cases of epilepsy under observation, convulsions at dentition were positively ascertained in 15 per cent. of the total number of cases, and in 43.7 per cent. of those having suffered from former illnesses. Here also the percentage is probably in reality greater, as it is obvious that many of the patients were ignorant as to whether or not these symptoms existed. There is no evidence that any of the other illnesses had any relation to the epilepsy.
Temperance and Intemperance.—On this head nothing definite could be ascertained. The patients either do not tell the truth, or have very elastic notions as to moderation in the use of alcoholic stimuli.