New Drug for Epilepsy

Though epilepsy is common--one in every 200 has it--the disease is the subject of two popular fallacies: 1) epileptics are "backward," 2) nothing can be done for epilepsy. The facts: epilepsy is no bar to genius--history's epileptics, according to present-day neurologists, include Caesar, Mohammed, Napoleon, Dostoevski; some 60 to 80% of epilepsy can be helped or cured by drugs (usually bromides, phenobarbital or dilantin sodium), surgery or change in living habits.

Last week a new drug, sponsored by Manhattan's Neurological Institute, joined the list: dl-glutamic acid hydrochloride. It is helpful only in petit mal (temporary loss of consciousness) and psychic attacks (unreasonable behavior with amnesia). It is not effective for convulsions. The drug probably acts by acidifying the blood--a beneficial effect formerly achieved only by an extremely unpleasant fatty diet.

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