Supposing the view, still generally held even in the last Century, that regards gonorrhœa as a result of an ulcer in the urethra, to have been already adopted in Hippocrates’ time,—and inasmuch as the expression γονοῤῥοία, so far as we know, never occurs in his writings, the assumption would not only not be absurd, but such a view would really be preferable to that which makes out the discharge to be badly made semen,—we shall find in this passage an expression of the fact of the more common occurrence of gonorrhœa, the most troublesome symptom of which, viz. the pain suffered during micturition (πόνος, δυσουρία, ἰσχουρία, suffering, difficulty in micturition, retention of urine), disappears, as is well known, concurrently with the commencement of the discharge (πύου ῥαγέντος, φυμάτων ῥαγέντων,—when the pus has broken out, when the abscess has broken), or if it does not entirely disappear, is at any rate sensibly diminished. But it is not really needful to accept this as having been the ruling opinion; the facts may very well be accounted for by supposing that in virtue of the _epidemic condition_ a strongly marked tendency was set up on the part of the glandular organs to inflammatory and suppurative action, by which not merely the glands of the external skin (ἑλκώματα ἔξωθεν),—ulcerations on the outside, Moses’‏‎ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת), but also those of the mucous membrane of the urethra (φύματα ἔσωθεν,—abscesses on the inside) were affected, exactly as is observed at the present day, especially in the chronic forms of gonorrhœa. The gonorrhœa then in this case would seem to have been of a more malignant type and to have been combined with ulceration. This best agrees with the general delineation of the _epidemic condition_ as a whole, the exanthematic character of which declared itself in the fig-like growths or tumours,—the σῦκα αἰδοίοισιν (figs on the genitals). _Grimm_ (Vol. I. p. 490.) already remarks on this passage of Hippocrates: “One might be tempted in this case to regard the ulcerations of the genital parts and their consequences, the fig-like tumours, as being the first signs of disease due to incontinence. Indeed what was there to hinder an evil of the sort in those times and under a warm climate from signalizing itself,—then subsequently so far losing its malignant character that its nature was completely misunderstood? Something of the same kind actually happens under our own eyes in connection with this very disease.” § 33.