A study of non-gonococcal urethritis, presumably venereal in origin, based upon 588 infections in 529 patients.

Non-Gonococcal Urethritis.-All inflammatory processes of the male urethra presumed due to sexual intercourse, which were not caused by N. gonorrhoea, H. ducreyi, T. pallidum, the tubercle bacillus, protozoan, metazoan organisms, fungi, mechanical irritants, or tumours, were classified as non-gonococcal urethritis. Acute Urethritis, Non-Gonococcal.-Non-gonococcal urethral infections in which the onset of the disease had occurred less than one month before the first visit to the clinic. Chronic Urethritis, Non-Gonococcal.-Non-gonococcal urethral infections in which the onset of the disease had occurred more than one month before the first visit to the clinic. Posterior Non-Gonococcal Urethritis.-A diagnosis of posterior urethritis was made when the gross pyuria was seen in two or more glasses of the multi-glass urine test. Concurrent Gonorrhoea.-This term was limited to that gonorrhoeal infection immediately preceding the onset of the non-gonococcal urethritis. Cure.-No patient was considered cured who had not been free of demonstrable discharge and gross pyuria for a minimum of 2 weeks, and who suffered no relapse after heavy drinking, prostatic massage, urethral dilatation, cystoscopy, heavy work, sports, or masturbation. Failure.-Patients whose urethritis did not respond to one or more courses of antibiotic therapy, and controls whose disease did not subside spontaneously in 8 weeks, were considered failures. Relapse.-A patient was considered to have had a relapse when his discharge or gross pyuria recurred following a clinical remission, but before the criteria for " cure " had been met, in the absence of coitus, and obvious evidence of re-infection.