The use of the naked eye in pathologic diagnosis is routine and has been since the early days of medicine. The application of this routine to study of the sinus discharge readily yields information of value which other methods fail to uncover. This information concerns the impairment of function of the lining membranes, the loss of resistance to infection, the loss of power to evacuate the sinus, and the persistence of purulent characteristics with a variety of appearance, all of which indicate persistent pathology within the sinus and the probable presence of infection.
While pus-forming bacteria, when present, are readily detected in sinus discharge bycommon laboratory technique, it is not always possible to determine their significance in a given case. Dochez1 and others have demonstrated the importance of viral agents in nasal pathology, and many workers have improved the cultural methods and means of identifying these agents. But here