THE ABERRATION PERIOD OF MIDDLE LIM
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:]
am quite sure that if my meaning has been mistaken, or if my theory has been thought "of little worth," my own ambiguity has been to blame, and that only. Most undeairous of inflicting upon the readers of the Spectator anything of the nature of a professional dissertation, I would yet claim of your courtesy the privilege of briefly restating my views :—(1) That between the ages, in men, of fifty-seven and sixty-two years "errors of judgment," as they are called, are more common than before or after those periods. (2) That this period of partial eclipse is, in my belief, associated with a period of climac- teric. (3) That though catastrophes may be fortunately rare as italicising this presumption, careful observation may yet find lathe small and unrecorded matters of life such variations from the "usual" in individuals as justify comment where matters are unimportant, and reflection where some crisis has arisen in the imperious trial of which they may have failed or fallen short. (4) And finally, I think I may say that if a careful examination be made of the preventible disasters of the last twenty years, and of the ages of those who were held responsible by the verdict of mankind for such lamentable issues, there will be found a strange coincidence in the range of their ages, which may appear to, at least, favour a more natural theory as explanation than the constant and almost wearisome one of the epileptic possession or influence. I may say, Sir, that, rightly or wrongly, what I have thus made into a theory has been the product of observation. I hope not to ask of your kindness any further intrusion on your valuable space; controversy was not my object so much as suggestion.—I am, Sir, &c:, Shanklin, LW. GEORGE H. R. DABBS, M.D.
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