This study was undertaken in an attempt to determine whether or not there is such a clinical entity as chronic appendicitis. The subject has been approached from the following three angles: First, the pathologic changes in appendixes supposed either before or after the operation to have been the cause of symptoms have been compared with the changes in those which apparently had never been the cause of symptoms. Second, the incidences of pathologic changes in appendixes supposed to have been the cause of symptoms have been determined according to symptoms, physical findings, laboratory findings, sex and age. Third, the percentages of the patients followed up who remained free from symptoms have been determined according to the pathologic change found in the appendix and the other classifications just listed.

In a study¹ made of the appendix in cases in which nothing in the history or physical findings indicated any present