The Relation Between Some forms of Non-Gonococcal Urethritis, Lymphogranuloma Inguinale, Trachoma, and Inclusion Blennorrhœa Critical Review.

A FEW isolated facts have stimulated the writing of this review. The chief are (i) The finding by some workers that an antigen made from the urethral discharge of patients with " Waelsch urethritis" acts like Frei antigen in cases of lymphogranuloma inguinale. (2) The discovery by Gay-Prieto, Findlay, Miyagawa and others of the bodies now believed to be the virus of lymphogranuloma inguinale. (3) The previous discovery by many workers of somewhat similar inclusion bodies in cases of " Waelsch urethritis," inclusion blennorrhcea, trachoma and some other diseases. It appeared to us worth while to search the literature to discover, if possible, any further evidence indicating a relationship between the above diseases. Before discussing the papers which have been studied for this review it seems necessary to state the criteria on which a diagnosis of Waelsch urethritis has been founded because they appear to have differed according to the importance attached to the urethroscopic appearances. In I9OI, Waelsch described a rare form of nongonorrhceal urethritis which he believed to be a clinical entity. It was characterised principally by its relatively long incubation period, the slightness of its subjective and objective symptoms and its almost complete resistance to treatment. The incubation Feriod varied from