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toms. This test enables us to detect not only the active virus, but those 

 late manifestations of syphilis, locomotor ataxy, and general paralysis of 

 the insane. Moreover, it confirms the view I have always maintained of the 

 syphilitic origin of these two diseases. 



A sufficient time has not yet elapsed to show whether the widespread 

 use of the new drug, " 606," introduced by Ehrlich after a long series of 

 carefully contrived experiments, may not diminish the number of cases of 

 this terribly fatal disease (general paralysis of the insane) and of locomotor 

 ataxy, which is the same pathological change, affecting a different part of 

 the nervous system. 



If there were time I could give logical arguments in favour of this 

 hypothesis, but I must be content with saying that since we now know the 

 cause of 20 per cent, of the deaths in the London County Asylums is due 

 to general paralysis, therefore one very important preventable cause has 

 been discovered. Not only is it important as regards numbers afflicted by 

 this terrible malady, but it is important- because the sufferers from this 

 disease are drawn from all grades of society, and as a rule are of civic 

 worth ; the same cannot be said of the feeble-minded. 



We might add another 5 to 10 per cent, of cases of brain disease 

 dying in asylums with softening of the brain due directly or indirectly to 

 syphilis. In congenital syphilis it is appalling to think what a number of 

 feeble-minded adults there would be from this cause did it not happen 

 that when the syphilitic organism invades the brain it is fatal in the great 

 majority of cases. The congenital syphilitic offspring of diseased parents 

 as a rule die before birth or in early infancy. Still, the bio-chemical test 

 that I have referred to shows that a considerable percentage of the feeble- 

 minded may owe their defect to this preventable cause. 



Neuropathic Inheritance. 



Three years ago I initiated a card system of relatives who are at 

 present, or have been discharged from, or have died in, the London 

 County Asylums. The ball once set rolling has grown to enormous 

 dimensions, and I have at present considerably over 3,000 cards, most of 

 them referring to persons closely related in the direct line. There are 

 at the present time about 750 closely-related persons inmates of the London 

 County Asylums; namely, 3*5 per cent, of the total population. A -priori 

 this is a strong argument in favour of the importance of heredity as a cause 

 of insanity, for it cannot be supposed that if we took 20,000 people from 

 the 4,522,961 inhabitants of London for some random cause we should 

 find 3' 5 per cent, of them so closely related, as parents and offspring,, 

 brothers and sisters. 



