The object of the present paper is to bring under the notice of this meeting the present state of Scotch Lunacy Legislation, especially as it affects our Chartered Asylums. For some years back efforts have from time to time been made to introduce various Bills into Parliament, calculated, more or less, to interfere with the present position of these institutions, and during the past Session one of these Bills has passed into law. It was evident to those who took any interest in this measure, that a strong feeling existed in regard to the extent to which Parochial Boards had control over their patients, and it was evident, sooner or later, that more extensive and more comprehensive legislation would ere long be forced on the notice of the public. That we should be prepared for this, it seems very desirable that we should know exactly our position, or how existing institutions are likely to be affected by such legislative efforts. But to understand this thoroughly, it will be necessary to consider the changes which have taken place in the Statutes affecting lunacy in Scotland since these were enacted in 1857, and this I will now do as briefly as possible.

Having thus pointed out the difference between the singular and the general relative to the Law of Similarity, we may understand with greater clearness how Induction, though coming in common with every other mental process under this same law, nevertheless at the outset, namely, in the whole of comprehension, is never concerned with the comparison of similars, that is, two or more individual chains of identity, and cannot therefore, in its origin, be generalization from experience.

Section 5. Law of Latency.—A diathesis may be transmitted through a generation without giving outward and visible sign of its existence, and may appear in full vigour in the next; or a strong neurosis may manifest itself in the intermediate generation by a temperament (group 1); and in the third break out as one of the forms comprised in third or fourth groups. The neurotic diathesis is a creeping parasite, which though a mere line on the parent trunk, yet follows each branch to its uttermost offshoots, and here and there kills a delicate twig, or envelops a whole branch, and destroys it; but sometimes, under favourable circumstances, is itself eradicated by the vigorous growth of the stock.

This subject will be best studied by first considering the evolution of reflex action on the lines laid down by Herbert Spencer.* Reflex action is first displayed in its crudest form in the contraction which occurs when the amoeba is touched, but not till there is a differentiation between the tissue which conducts and the tissue which responds to a stimulus, can reflex action be said to be thoroughly developed.

The following case illustrates the influence of heredity on the protracted types of insanity originating from or excited by self-abuse.

C. M. F., æt. 40, wife of an artist; had one child, aged six years. Admitted into Bethlem Hospital March 31st, 1887.

Several interesting examples of the insanity of twins have been recorded in this Journal. No instance, however, has been published in any journal of insanity as occurring under this condition, in the form of general paralysis. The first case is reported by Dr. Clouston, from whom we have received the following notes; the second case was that of a patient in Bethlem Hospital, under the care of Dr. Savage.

David A., 20 years of age, was admitted into the Crichton Institution on 31st May, 1886.

In the sixteenth lecture, Professor Charcot narrates the history of an epidemic of hysteria occurring in a family which had devoted itself to the vagaries of modern spiritualism. It is very probable that many such instances of the grave forms of hysteria are to be ascribed to practices which tend to impress with awe the imagination of neurotic subjects. In the succeeding lecture the treatment of such cases is discussed, and the importance of isolation is insisted on. Statical electricity and cold baths are also recommended, but the bromides are, according to the author, of no service.

The principles consist in a careful investigation of each epileptic case and treatment, not general, but individual. Dr. Erlenmeyer makes the complaint, probably with justice, that cases of epilepsy are far too frequently treated in a rule-of-thumb manner, and scarcely at all investigated. He then proceeds to describe how a case should be examined (the details are somewhat alarming, it must be confessed), and subsequently describes the many varieties of epilepsy, including Jacksonian. On p. 13 we find one cause given which sounds theoretical, “commotio cerebri.” In the investigation of causes he insists that the history should be most carefully taken; and under the head of injury should include even a simple box on the ear! We would suggest that so careful a history will scarcely ever fail to discover some cause, right or wrong. A case of epilepsy cured by trepanning, which operation was done at the author's insistence, is included in the text of some remarks at the end of the brochure.