This is an =acute purulent conjunctivitis= in the new-born. Neonatorum comes from a junction of the Greek word Neos—new, to the Latin word natus—born; new-born. This disease is the bugbear to the obstetrician. He must always be on the lookout for it and act promptly in order to save sight. Every general practician should make a careful study of this disease if he expects to treat children. Sixty to seventy percent of conjunctivitis neonatorum is due to the infection with the gonococcus of Neisser. It usually comes from a gonorrheal discharge from the genitals of the mother. The nurse or anyone who handles the baby might be the agent in the transmission of the infection. The disease is not always of gonorrheal origin. Some cases are due to the pneumococcus, streptococcus, diplobacillus or one variety of staphylococci. Thus there are two varieties or types of ophthalmia neonatorum; a severe type which is =gonorrheal= or specific and a mild type which is non-specific. In some states there is a law which requires the use of silver nitrate in the eyes of all babies at birth. Every baby’s eyes should be thoroughly washed at birth, with boric acid and where there is the least suspicion of gonorrhea silver nitrate 1% or argyrol 25% should be used. A routine use of one of the silver salts would be good practice. =Symptoms.=—Gonorrheal cases begin usually the third day after birth, non-gonorrheal, on the fifth or sixth day. Both eyes are usually involved, one worse than the other. The lids swell much. There is chemosis of the conjunctiva which may put the cornea in a pit. The discharge is abundant. It is yellow or greenish yellow. The disease gradually declines and the discharge ceases in six to eight weeks. The conjunctiva is thickened and looks granular. May be some cicatricial changes. The chief danger is to the cornea, more so if it becomes hazy the first two days. Corneal lesions seldom occur in non-specific forms. If the cornea is involved perforation is likely, with a general inflammation of the eyeball (panophthalmitis) followed by atrophy (phthisis bulbi). Complications such as rhinitis, meningitis, endocarditis and general septicemia may occur. =Diagnosis= is made from the onset, character, symptoms and course with the use of the microscope. =Prognosis.=—Delayed or improper treatment in these cases will likely be fatal to sight as sloughing of the cornea will occur. With prompt and proper care the prognosis is favorable.