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LDH isoenzyme patterns were determined in prostatic fluid from 286 patients with a prostate gland judged to be normal, the site of benign hyperplasia on clinical evidence or the site of benign hyperplasia or carcinoma on the basis of histologic evidence. Fluid from 12 of 15 patients (80 per cent) with carcinoma representing all stages and grades of disease showed an LDH-V/I ratio of more than 3. This ratio was exceeded in only 6 of 57 (11.8 per cent) and 14 of 97 (14.4 per cent) patients in whom the diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia without evidence of infection was established histologically or clinically, respectively. An LDH-V/I ratio exceeding 3 was seen commonly in patients with a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia with a recent history suggesting infection and more than 10 WBCs per high power field on microscopic examination of the prostatic fluid. These observations suggest that an LDH-V/I ratio exceeding 3 in the prostatic fluid in the absence of a history of infection and more than 10 WBCs per high power field on microscopic examination should be regarded as an indication of a high risk of the presence or development of a malignancy of the prostate. The results obtained also support the concept that, in the presence of malignancy, expressed prostatic fluid provides an adequate sample of cells with altered metabolism.

Summary A case of persistent pyuria in a female child, thirteen months, old, is presented. This had lasted for several months and was due to a neuromuscular dysfunction of the left ureter and bladder. The case was treated by doing a presacral sympathectomy. One month following the operation, there was a diminished capacity of the bladder and a decrease in the size of the upper third of the left ureter. On discharge the urine still contained organisms, a faint trace of albumin and 1 or 2 W.B.C. per high power field.

Fluorescence microscopy tests were carried out in different groups of patients Peripheral blood diluted with saline was used and 200 high power fields were inspected in every case. The results were presented as the number of fluorescing erythrocytes (FE) per 100000 red blood cells (or 200 fields). In the controls, porphyria cutanea tarda patients and patients with photodermatoses other than erythopoietic protoporphyria and pellagra almost no FE were detected. In erythropoietic protoporphyria the mean value was 10600, in lead poisoning 1032, in patients exposed to lead 48.2, in sideropenic anaemia 123 and in patients with pallagra 8.1 FE/100000 red blood cells. The conclusion is made that one has to take care, when using this test for detection of latent carriers in genetic studies of the relatives of patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria. The test is useful for the confirmation of the diagnosis of erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Three hundred and fifty-four Vancouver primary school children were studied. Half had a hearing loss and half were control subjects with normal hearing. A trained nonmedical interviewer presented a precoded questionnaire of allergy symptoms to their mothers, and a pediatric allergist examined the children's noses for signs of allergy. Two nasal smears were made from each and were numbered consecutively. One was stained by Hansel's and the other by Papanicolaou's method. A technician scored the former positively if there were 10 eosinophils per high power field in any 2 high power fields and the latter positively if 6 goblet cells were found in the entire slide. There was a highly significant association between clinical evidence of nasal allergy and a nasal secretion eosinophilia. No significant association could be found between clinical evidence of nasal allergy and goblet cells or between eosinophils and goblet cells. The presence of goblet cells does not appear to help in making the diagnosis of nasal allergy in children.

THE IMPORTANCE of detecting occult blood in urine is well established. The appearance of minute quantities of blood in urine may be among the earliest signs of renal disease, infarction, tumors of the urogenital system, and hemorrhagic diseases. Occult hematuria may signal renal damage resulting from trauma or from ingestion of toxic chemicals or drugs. It may also be a sign of inadequately controlled anticoagulant therapy. Common methods for the detection of occult blood in urine include microscopic examination and the benzidine test. In microscopic examination, the number of red blood cells per high power field is counted. This method, although in use for many years, suffers from a disadvantage if the blood in the urine becomes hemolyzed. The stromata of hemolyzed red blood cells are almost impossible to see, and hemolyzed blood may be missed by microscopic examination. The benzidine test reacts in the presence of hemoglobin whether free

Serratia marcescens has been reported to be associated with infections of the lungs, 1,2 meninges, 3 endocardium, 4 burns, 5 and urinary tract, 6 although its pathogenic role was not clearly defined in every instance. It has also been seen without apparent infection in the intestinal tract of the newborn. 7 The isolation of Serratia from the urine of 20 further patients is recorded here, and some evidence is given as to its etiological role in cases of urinary tract infection. Methods and Materials Patients were selected for study when organisms with the characteristics of Serratia were isolated from urine specimens sent to the laboratory for culture. Infection was considered present when organisms were cultured in moderate amounts from clean-caught or catheterized urine and over 10 WBC per high power field of urine sediment were seen. A moderate growth of bacteria was that amount which grew in heavy growth into

Objective: Obstruction of the urinary tract has marked effects on renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and tubular function. Ureteral obstruction results in an injury response that can progress to irreversible renal fibrosis and tubular damage by apoptosis. Materials and Methods: Forty five rabbits aged 13-17 weeks with body weights of 1250-1750 grams were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 underwent a sham operation and group 2 had unilateral ureteral ligation to cause total obstruction. Groups 3 and 4 also underwent unilateral ureteral ligation but with verapamil given on day 0 and day 7 respectively. Apoptosis to the renal tubules were assessed after nephrectomy on day 14 using immunohistochemistry by counting the number cell deaths/high power field (hpf). Results: The groups that received verapamil showed significantly less apoptosis compared to those without verapamil (2,73 vs 12,46 cell deaths/hpf; p0,05), although both groups still showed more cell deaths compared to group 1 (0,38 cell deaths/hpf). Conclusion: Verapamil appears to significantly decrease apoptosis during total unilateral ureteral obstruction. However, it cannot replace the benefit of relieving total obstruction

It is known that microscopic hematuria or pyuria may be associated with acute appendicitis. The present study was prompted by a review of the literature which indicated that little information is available correlating the urinary sediment with the signs, symptoms, and surgical findings in cases of acute appendicitis. Material and Methods One hundred twenty-nine patients underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis at Strong Memorial Hospital in 1959. Ten had no admission urinalysis, and 6 had a preceding history of urinary tract infection. These patients were not included in the study. Of the 113 patients, 21 (19%) had a positive urinary sediment. All urine specimens were voided spontaneously. A centrifuged urine specimen with 5 or more white cells or red cells per high power field was considered positive. The patients were evaluated in regard to the admission urinalysis, sex, age, duration of symptoms prior to admission, urinary tract symptoms, fever, leukocyte count

Case history An eight-year-old girl was referred for intravenous pyelography because of repeated bouts of urinary tract infection. These episodes were associated with frequency, fever and chills. There was no incontinence or flank pain. The patient was of average height and weight for her age. Physical findings were within normal limits. Pertinent laboratory results were limited to the urinary findings where 30-40 W.B.C. per centrifuged high power field were noted and cultures yielded abundant growth of E. coli. An intravenous pyelogram revealed complete triplication on the left (Fig. 1). There were no radiographic findings of chronic pyelonephritis or other abnormality. A cystoscopic examination was subsequently performed and revealed three separate left ureteral orifices within the bladder. The patient was treated with appropriate antibiotics for one