Familial spastic paraplegia with amyotrophy of the hands

Summary Two unrelated British families suffering from a distinctive form of familial spmtic paraplegia associated with wasting of the hands are described. I wish to record my gratitude for the encouragement and advice that I received from Dr Michael Kremer, under whose care the patients were admitted and investigated. I would like to thank Prof. Lionel Penrose, who throughout the investigation helped and advised me on the genetic aspects of the work. I wish also to thank Mr Ainslie and Mr Goldsmith for referring the propositus Mr A.; Mr Northfield and Lord Brain for allowing me to quote from their original notes on Mrs R. when she attended the London Hospital; Miss Ruth Marshall for carrying out the blood‐group studies; Dr Julia Bell and Dr A. Carmichael for discussing these families with me; Mr Frank Beck for translating the German papers quoted, and Dr Russell Doggart for his advice and criticism.