During the autumn of last year I had occasion to visit the parish of Minto, in Roxburghshire, and on making enquiries as to the history of a certain patient, W. N., who was about to be sent to the asylum at Melrose, where I held the position of assistant medical officer, I was told that he was one of seven children who were imbecile, out of a family of eleven, and that the father of this family was popularly supposed to be not altogether right in mind. Thinking that if I followed up this case it might prove to be of some interest, I determined to investigate it.