It is clear that two congenital epileptics given to violent seizures: ought not to have children. Even if their marriage were forbidden science would still be confronted with the "problem of discovering the carriers of epilepsy. The great merit of.electroencephalography, as brain-wave study is called, lies in the fact that these carriers can now be detected. At last the way is opened to conduct a piece of research which should throw a bright light on the mechanism of physical inheritance in human beings.
Some philanthropist who wants to make legitimate deductions from his income tax ought to finance research which will make it possible to delve deeper into epilepsy and thus aid in controlling an affliction which incapacitates many thousands and lowers the eugenic standard of the country.
The experts inform this department that in conducting such a study at least 100 persons and all their immediate relatives should be divided into groups and tested with brain-wave recorders. One group would comprise "normals," men and women in the professions, labourers, recipients of "relief," and the like a second group would comprise persons who are subject to the type of "sick headache ed "migraine" by the medicos; psychopathic or "queer" people; criminals and so-called geniuses. Out of such studies would come a clearer understanding of the self-satisfaction, hysteria and ruthlessness of conquerors and dictators of the Napoleon-Mussolini-Hitler type.
There is reason to believe that ten or fifteen million Americans have brains that send out abnormal waves. These are the unrecognized carriers of epilepsy whose behaviour is normal.
This piece of research is necessary. Predi position to epilepsy is probably linked with defective mentality, migraine, genius. Sometimes it stands: alone. What are the linkages? The brain waves would probably show.
In the meantime the best that can be done is to tell epileptics how to take care of themselves. To aid them a Laymen's League for Epilepsy has been formed by Dr. Lennox, which does what it can to aid sufferers and guide doctors.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.