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.
