92 MARRIAGE AND DISEASE. 



until human nature becomes something different from 

 what we know it to-day, or until families are compelled 

 by law to keep some kind of family record, little more 

 than we at present know on this most important sub- 

 ject will be learnt from statistics. From education, 

 the modern cure for all ills, we can expect nothing, 

 for we find that in the upper classes, where education 

 should be most advanced, truth upon this one point 

 at least is less plentiful than among the ignorant. 



The Commissioners' summary of the whole number 

 of persons certified as insane in 1887, shows that in 

 spite of error, accidental and premeditated, close on a 

 fourth 23 per cent. were by heredity predisposed 

 to insanity, while of the total admissions for the ten 

 years 1878 to 1887 inclusive, in 20.5 per cent, in- 

 herited taint was admitted. 



Now, in view of this conclusive evidence of the 

 hereditary transmissibility of so terrible a disease, a 

 disease whose ravages in society scientific men and 

 economists alike deplore, and whose increase under 

 the existing state of things medical science is unable 

 to stay, |J think the time has arrived when some- 

 thing should be done to limit its propagation, either 

 by teaching the people, or, as a last resort, calling in 

 the aid of the Legislature. Ultimately, I fear, this 

 latter course must be adopted, for the reason that 

 many of those of the insane temperament are so ill- 

 balanced, emotional, and impulsive, that they are ab 

 best only semi-responsible, and the teachings of science, 

 however convincing to the thoughtful, can never have 



