Epilepsy; its symptoms, treatment, and relation to other chronic convulsive diseases / [Sir J. Russell Reynolds].

  • Reynolds, J. Russell (John Russell), Sir, 1828-1896.
Date:
1861
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Epilepsy; its symptoms, treatment, and relation to other chronic convulsive diseases / [Sir J. Russell Reynolds]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    25/448 (page 13)
    proposition, the very opposite of that usually entertained, is true.* Similar demonstrations have occurred in the history of medicine, and I refer for illustration to that most masterly emplo}Tnent of the numerical method in the investigation by Dr. Walshe, of the hereditary character of phthisis, and of the laws of hajmoptysis.f In the folloTving work I have shown that some general principles enunciated with regard to epilepsy, not only have exceptions, but that these are more frequent than are the examples of their correctness ; and that therefore those so-called general principles are demonstrably wrong. Further, the nmnerical method may be so employed as to show that a principle, antagonistic to that which is generally received, has greater claims to reception; and thus e-vndence of a positive character may be furnished against the adoption of the received opinion. In this manner statistics have been frequently em- ployed in the course of the present researches upon epilepsy. It often happens that a startling fact makes so strong an impression upon the mind of its observer, that he attaches to it an importance far greater than it deserves, and this to the depreciation of other and more common occurrences. For example, a certain cause has been seen followed by a parti- cular disease ; the relation has been carefully established, and the circumstances have been so forcibly impressed upon the mind that the observer is prone to look at other cases in the light of this one ; and, as it often happens, when he cannot ascertain any facta in support of his favourite notion, to supply them from imagination or suspicion, and construe aU that he does observe into a form which squares with his own theory. We havQ a natural repugnance to the admission of our own ignorance or error; it is more pleasant to suspect wilful concealment on the * Nervertheleas, it ia interesting to observe,—in illustration of another use of the statistical metho<l,—the great prevalence of rainy days at this particular period of the year. This fact, which had been frequently observed, is esta- blished by the numerical examination which, at the same time, explodes its pofpular but erroneous interpretation. t British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review, January, 1849.