“…The prognosis in conservative treatment of melaena where a definite or likely peptic ulcer was diagncsed, has been studied in a number of follow-up investigations (Krarup 1946, Haraldson 1948, Malmros & Hiertonn 1949, Wenckert, Borg & Lindblom 1960. However, there are but few references in the literature to prognosis in melaena of unknown origin (Romcke & Loken 1956, Haeggstrom & Nicolausson 1960. Even if melaena of unknown origin is a syndrome and not a single disease, its clinical importance is always so great that a followup examination is essential.…”