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Using arthritis in referring to inflammatory and arthrosis in referring to degenerative conditions of the joints 179 conditions are noted in which 1 or the other or both or allied conditions occur. There are a large number of bacteria which can infect articular structures and arthropathies due to viruses are more common than had been believed. There are numerous postinfective arthropathies traumatic arthropathies and arthropathies due to dietetic causes. Certain drugs have also been known to cause arthropathies. Rheumatic symptoms and serological abnormalities induced by oral contraceptive drugs have been reported. The oral contraceptives appear to be capable of causing the hydrallazine (or reversible systemic lupus) syndrome.

Pain threshold was measured in 106 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 50 with ankylosing spondylitis, and 50 normal controls using Keele's algometer. In rheumatoid arthritis patients with a low pain threshold had more severe pain for a greater part of the day and required more tablets for pain relief. In ankylosing spondylitis the pain threshold was higher and was not related to pain or analgesic requirements. There was no evidence that pain threshold affected the course or outcome of rheumatoid arthritis in any way.