1244 pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy in some members, cardiomegaly in others, and a combination of the two in 1 patient has been described (Kiloh and Nevin 1951); but there is no evidence which clearly identifies isolated familial cardiomegaly with the cardiomyopathy associated with these neurological conditions. The reported cases certainly confirm the existence of a familial heart-disease, and the evidence suggests a genetic origin. Campbell and Turner-Warwick (1956), reporting two more families with familial heart-disease, think that the evidence, though scanty, suggests that the disease is inherited as a mendelian dominant.

The present series contains 7 cases of familial cardio-megaly. When a second generation was affected, the maternal parent appeared to be responsible for its trans-mission, and this was also found in published cases (fig. 11). There are various possible explanations for this maternal transmission. Early death in affected males before procreation would produce the same result, but the data are inadequate for firm conclusions. Infection of the germ cell