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In a preliminary report (Truelove and Witts, 1954) we have given the immediate results of a controlled trial of cortisone in the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis. In the present paper it is intended to fill in some of the details about the immediate results and to report on the subsequent progress of the patients. The trial was confined to typical cases of chronic ulcerative colitis which would normally be expected to require at least six weeks' treatment in hospital, and patients with regional colitis, ileitis, or proctitis were not included. A total of 213 patients received treatment. Of these, three have been rejected from the analysis of results for the following reasons: one patient proved to be suffering from carcinoma of the colon, one had had a colostomy, and in the third the records were inadequate. Of the remaining 210 patietts, 109 received cortisone and 101 received the dummy preparation. Diagnosis.-The diagnosis was established by the following criteria: (1) History. (2) Character of stools. (3) Sigmoidoscopy (in very ill patients, proctoscopy was regarded as sufficient). (4) Barium enema, except when the patient was gravely ill. (5) Absence of known pathogens in the stools.

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