XXIV. HEREDITY 118

XXV. CHARACTER 123

XXVI. MARRIAGE 131

XXVII. SUMMARY 140

BIBLIOGRAPHY 142

INDEX 145

* * * * *

PREFACE

I hope this book will meet a real need, for when one considers how
prevalent epilepsy, hysteria and neurasthenia are, among all ranks and ages
of both sexes, it seems remarkable some such popular book was not written
long ago.

I add nothing to our knowledge of these ills, my object being to put what
we know into simple words, and to insist on the necessity for personal
discipline being allied to expert aid. The book aims at helping, not
ousting, the doctor, who may find it of use in getting his patient to
see--and to act on--the obvious.

"Nervous Disease", as here used, includes only the three diseases treated
of; "Neuropath"--victims of them.

"Advice" to a neuropath is usually a very depressing decalogue of "Thou
Shalt Nots!" If it be made clear _why_ he must _not_ do so-and-so, the
patient endeavours to obey; peremptorily ordered to obey, he rebels. Much
sound advice is wasted for lack of an interesting, convincing, "Reason
Why!" which would ensure the hearty and very helpful co-operation of a
patient who had been taught that writing prescriptions is not the limit of
a doctor's activities.

Many folk, with touching belief in his own claims, regard the quack as a
hoary-headed sage, who from disinterested motives devotes his life to
curing ailments, by methods of which he alone has the secret, at low fees.
To fight this dangerous idea I have tried to show in an interesting way how
science deals with nerve ills, and to prove that qualified aid is needed.
Suggestions and criticisms will be welcomed.

I. G. BRIGGS
THE UNIVERSITY,
BIRMINGHAM,
_June_, 1921

* * * * *

"Lette than clerkes enditen in Latin, for they have the propertie of
science, and the knowing in that facultie: and lette Frenchmen in their
Frenche also enditen their queinte termes, for it is kyndely to their
mouthes; and let us showe our fantasies in soche wordes as we lerneden of
our dames tongue."

--Chaucer.

* * * * *

EPILEPSY, HYSTERIA,
AND NEURASTHENIA

* * * * *

CHAPTER I

MAJOR AND