SYNOPSIS The vaginal microbiology of women attending a family planning clinic was found to be unrelated to the use of oral contraceptives and vaginal tampons.Beta haemolytic streptococci isolated from this 'normal' population were compared with those from 1,104 women attending general practitioners complaining of vaginal discharge. There is a caution regarding the indications for antibiotic therapy.Observations were made on the effects of contamination of vaginal swabs with yeasts and /3-haemolytic streptococci from the vulva. The persistent character of the vaginal flora over a sixmonth period is described.Reports of monilial vulvo-vaginitis associated with oral contraceptives (Yaffee and Grots, 1965;Porter and Lyle, 1966;Catterall, 1966)

Purpose To investigate the possible link between normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and autoimmunity. Methods We studied the serum of 95 patients: 31 with NTG, 32 with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and 32 age-and sexmatched controls. Blood was drawn from each patient and serum was examined for the presence of antinuclear antigens (ANA), autoantibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (ENA), anti-double-strand DNA, serum protein electrophoresis, and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, and IgM) levels. Results In the NTG group, the relative risks for ANA and ENA positivity were 2.5 and 4.4 times, respectively, that of the control group. There was a statistically significant difference between IgA levels in the NTG and control group (P ¼ 0.024), but there was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding IgM or IgG levels. In the POAG group, the relative risks for ANA and ENA positivity were 0.77 and 2.9 times, respectively, that of the control group. The relative risk for detection of paraprotein in the POAG group was 0.97 times that of the control group. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between IgA levels in the POAG and control group (P ¼ 0.011), but there was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding IgM or IgG. Conclusion These results support the hypothesis that humoral immune mechanisms may have a role in the pathogenesis of NTG.

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SYNOPSIS The vaginal microbiology of women attending a family planning clinic was found to be unrelated to the use of oral contraceptives and vaginal tampons. Beta haemolytic streptococci isolated from this 'normal' population were compared with those from 1,104 women attending general practitioners complaining of vaginal discharge. There is a caution regarding the indications for antibiotic therapy. Observations were made on the effects of contamination of vaginal swabs with yeasts and /3-haemolytic streptococci from the vulva. The persistent character of the vaginal flora over a sixmonth period is described. 'Bath Branch, Family Planning Association.