There are many reasons which induced me tochoose this subject for a thesis.mention only the most important one.I would like toBetween 1942 and 1945, while in the SouthAfrican Medical Corps, I was posted to the WynbergMilitary Hospital. During this time I was closelyassociated with the urological service of thehospital.It struck me very forcibly how many soldierswere off duty on account of a genito-urinary complaint.In the majority of these the diagnosis was prostatovesicuJ.1tis; and it must be stressed, as it has beendone by many others, that an infection with thegonococcus was the exciting cause in no more than onehalf the number of cases. I formed the opinion thatmore soldiers were off duty on account of prostato- .vesictilltis than for any other single disease. Quitea number of them remained the best part of a year inhospital.I had the good fortune to become wellacquaintedwith this clinical entity. The diagnosis,management and treatment of these cases requires patienceand expert ~raining. Except in the mildest cases thetreatment is very protracted. In some of them the conditionremains baffling and the results are disappointing.
