At the annual meeting of alienists, in Switzerland, in 1888, Wille directed attention to the writings of Felix Plater, who practised at Bâle nearly three centuries before, and in these writings are to be found the first definite descriptions of general paralysis; but it was not till after Willis in 1672, Haslam about 1800, and Bayle twenty years later, had each independently described the disease, that any great interest was awakened in it. Since that time, however, it has furnished a fruitful source of interest and discussion to many physicians, which has not only been abiding, but as the disease began to be better understood, has increased to a wonderful extent.