Five hundred and ninety three cases of clinically diagnosed and suspected epilepsy were analysed as regards to the EEG (standard scalp electrode recording) features for confirmation and typing. Fifty-five per cent of all clinically diagnosed adult epileptics were confirmed by the EEG with the initial record, and the EEG confirmatory rate in children was higher at 92%. The frequency of generalised epilepsy as confirmed by the EEG was found to be 86% in adults and 92% in children, reflecting a higher proportion of generalised epilepsy in the population than reported elsewhere. Clinical diagnosis of partial epilepsy was often subsequently shown to be of generalised type on EEG.