A brief reference to some of the discrepancies shown in a consideration of the various psychoses will serve to illustrate the need of more accurate information on many of these subjects. In discussing the predisposing causes of mental diseases, for instance, White[123] made the following statement, which is perfectly correct: "An inherited predisposition to mental disorder is found in from 30 to 90 per cent of cases according to different authorities, while the average for all conditions has been estimated at from 60 to 70 per cent." Information on this subject is certainly far from being complete or satisfactory. The Thirty-first annual report of the State Hospital Commission shows that of 4,492 first admissions to the New York hospitals during the year ending June 30, 1919, 2,003, or 44.6 per cent, were reported as having a family history of insanity, nervous diseases, alcoholism or other neuropathic taint. As far as could be determined 55.4 per cent showed no evidence of heredity in their family history. The necessity of further information on this important subject would appear to be obvious. The question as to the relation between syphilis and general paresis may be said to have been definitely settled for all time. The origin of this disease has, however, been the subject of controversy since 1857. Paton[124] in a review of this discussion in 1905 states that Gudden found a history of syphilis in 35.7 per cent of his cases, Hirsch, in fifty-six per cent, Jolly, in sixty-nine, Mendel, in seventy-five, and Alzheimer, in ninety per cent. In the light of our present knowledge this difference of opinion and experience is quite interesting and illuminating. The most extravagant and misleading statements made about etiological factors, perhaps, are those which relate to the alcoholic psychoses. This was due largely to the statements of enthusiastic propagandists who were advocating prohibitory legislation. The facts of the matter are that when the use of liquor was unrestricted, the admission rate of alcoholic psychoses, as shown by the New York state hospital reports, had averaged ten per cent for a number of years (1908 to 1913).