_Plantar Neuralgia._—Occasionally, as we have pointed out elsewhere, the pain is of almost unendurable severity. It constitutes one of the types of so-called _partial sciatica_, the pain and paræsthesia being confined to the plantar nerves. Indeed, pain, numbness, hyperæsthesia, or sweating of the sole are often symptomatic of a definite neuritis. Such may follow typhoid fever or caisson disease, and in this latter be of aggravated type. When we realise that the pain in these cases may be limited to the tips of the toes or the _ball of the great toe_, we see how readily it may be confused with “gout.” Fortunately plantar neuralgia is exceptionally rare; but even after exclusion of the foregoing causes we should, before pronouncing any such neuralgia to be “gouty,” recollect that plantar neuralgia or hyperæsthesia is very common in _alcoholism_ and _hysteria_. _Erythromelalgia._—Among the exceptional cases that find their way to spas are examples of this rare disorder. Almost invariably they come under the diagnosis of “gout” or “rheumatism.” When we reflect that in the majority of instances the initial burning pain typical of the disease is located in some part of the sole of one foot, and that the associated redness and vascularity may be delimited to the _ball of the great toe_, the heel, or outer or inner side of the foot, we see the danger of its being too easily referred to “gout.” If seen at the zenith of an attack, the severe pain, the local heat, the intense purplish redness, the distension of the veins, and in some instances œdema, how close the resemblance to gout! Precisely also, as in gout, the simulation of a deep-seated inflammatory process is very pronounced. Indeed, in not a few examples of erythromelalgia fruitless incisions have been made. Accordingly in all cases of pain, redness, and swelling in the sole of the foot, we should canvass the possibility that we may be face to face with an instance of erythromelalgia, a disorder which, like gout, is most frequently met with in men of middle age. In drawing to a close our remarks on the diagnosis of _acute gout_ in the _foot_, we would emphasise the fact that in all such cases the bare feet should be thoroughly examined. For, apart from _infective_ and _traumatic_ lesions, the frequency with which the various _static foot deformities_ are confused with “gout” is incredibly common. That _gout may co-exist with hallux valgus_ or other distortion we readily admit, but this does not absolve us of our responsibility—correction of the static deformity. Combine this, if you will, with constitutional treatment if there be evidence, _i.e._, tophi, of a “gouty” diathesis, but, we repeat, correct the mechanical defect. For gout may come and go, but static errors remain. In so doing, the victim will be saved much preventable suffering, and, for aught known to the contrary, the removal of irritation and local congestion may haply minimise the chances of subsequent gouty outbreaks.