Epilepsy. a Clinical and Social Analysis of 1020 Adult Patients with Epileptic Seizures.

UNDERSTANDING EPILEPSY By R. Kemp. (Pp. vii + 93. 15s.) London: Tavistock Publications. 1963. This small book is intended for the epileptic patient and his relatives. Its purpose is to help them to understand what epilepsy is and to gain their collaboration in its treatment and management. The intention is excellent, but the author appears at times not to be familiar with the day-to-day clinical problems of epileptics and in consequence his endeavour is occasionally hampered. Thus it is not emphasized that the employment problem depends largely on the state of the local labour market: that fellow employees may be more difficult than employers: that when there is a personnel officer, to engage his sympathy is one of the best ways of having an epileptic accepted in a job: that there are circumstances where medical advice should be against disclosing epilepsy. Carrying an identifying card in bag or pocket is sensible and useful: wearing a badge is unwelcome to most patients and to suggest it is unrealistic. The Cohen Committee Report is accepted uncritically. Some of its recommendations are controversial amongst those caring for epileptics. The discussion of drug treatment is rather old fashioned but the gelneral advice about the value of drugs is sound. The limitations of surgical treatment is well done and necessary in this era of 'Your life in their hands' and other similar T.V. programmes. In discussing the nature and causes of epilepsy it might have been better to emulate the approach of Lennox and other authorities and emphasize that the tendency to fit is probably common to all brains: it is the ease of elicitation that varies. This allows the question of what is and is not epilepsy to fall more readily into perspective. Some mention of the many successful and famous people who suffered from epilepsy would have been valuable. Despite these strictures, however, the book will be useful to many patients if only because of its encouraging emphasis on the positive aspects of modern treatment and management. For such a slim volume the price of 15s. seems excessive.