ABSTRACT
The belief that epilepsy might be a bad influence on others, or might even be infectious, continued well into the twentieth century.1 One of the earliest recorded establishments with a more caring attitude was founded at the end of the fifteenth century, when a ‘hospice for epileptics’ was provided in Alsace. In 1867, a particularly influential center was established in a farmhouse near the town of Bielefeld, Germany. This was the beginning of the famous Bethel Center. Subsequently the colonies at Meer en Bosch, Heemsteede, Netherlands and Filadelfia, Dianalund, Denmark were founded. Based on the Bethel experience, several centers opened in the UK. Some of these continue to form a nucleus for intensive work, including research and assessment. They have a particular role to play for people with difficult epilepsy. A number of other European centers have similar wide-ranging remits.
