A general review of all these circumstances seems to render it probable that the epileptic constitution is more tolerant of the toxic effects of the bromides than the healthy system. The most severe effects of bromism occur in those who are not the victims of this malady, in whom, as seen by the foregoing facts, they are not common. Theoretically this may be plausibly explained by the reasonable assumption that, as in epilepsy the entire nervous apparatus is in a state of reflex hyper-excitability, the sedative and poisonous effects of the bromides do not produce the depressing or toxic actions they would do in a more stable organization. Whatever the reason may be, the fact is that the symptoms of bromism are not so severe in the epileptic as they are in otherwise healthy subjects. Finally, the important question arises, Does a prolonged use of the bromides tend towards the eradication of the disease itself and the ultimate cure of the epileptic state? On this point I have no personal statistical evidence to offer, nor am I aware of the existence of any sufficiently scientific series of data to settle the question. Without there being actual demonstration of the fact, there is every reason to believe that such a supposition is possible. Clinical observation has determined that the larger the number of convulsive seizures the greater is the tendency to the production of others, and the more readily are they caused. Such is the abnormal reflex hyper-excitability of the nervous system of the epileptic that the irritative effects of one attack seem directly to pre-dispose to the occurrence of a second; so that the larger the number of explosions of nerve instability which actually take place, the more there are likely to follow. Could such seizures be kept in check, this cause of the production of convulsions at least would be diminished, the liability for them to break out as a result of trifling external stimuli would be lessened, and the long-continued absence of this source of irritation might by the repose and favourable circumstances thus obtained, encourage a healthy transformation of tissue. Now, it has already been pointed out that in 12.1 per cent. of epileptics the attacks were completely arrested during the entire time the drugs were being administered, and that in a much larger percentage they were greatly modified in number and severity. It has been further shown that the remedies themselves, even when in use for long periods, are in themselves practically innocuous, while at the same time they continue to maintain their beneficial effects on the attacks. It therefore follows that a sufficiently prolonged treatment might in a certain number of cases be succeeded by permanent curative results. The chief impediment to arriving at trustworthy conclusions on this subject has been the length of time necessary to judge of lasting benefits, and the difficulty of keeping patients sufficiently long under observation.