A Statistical Inquiry Into the Nature and Treatment of Epilepsy

This compact volume brings together three of Dr. Bennett’s earlier papers, republished as a single, cohesive investigation into epilepsy at a time when medical knowledge of the disorder was still in its infancy. Written in the clear, methodical style of a Victorian physician, the work stresses the importance of painstakingly recorded facts over speculation, positioning the study as a modest but valuable contribution to the emerging science of neurology.

Within its pages, the author examines a range of possible predisposing factors—sex, age, marital status, occupation, and family history—drawing on a hundred carefully documented cases. Detailed tables reveal patterns such as the near‑equal gender distribution, the typical onset between the first and third decades of life, and the limited impact of marriage on seizure frequency. By acknowledging the difficulties of relying on patient and witness testimony, the author underscores both the challenges and the promise of early clinical statistics in understanding epilepsy.