Urinary disorders occurring in the neonatal period.

Urinary conditions with a distinctive clinical picture are not uncommon in newborn infants. The majority of infants show excellent response to treatment and early diagnosis is of great importance. In any circumstances it is difficult to obtain specimens of urine from these small subjects and the difficulties are frequently increased as a result of the anuria which is a common accompaniment of urinary disorders in its early stages. Usually the characteristic clinical features of these cases allow of a diagnosis being made and treatment being begun before examination of the urine has been possible. It is the purpose of this paper to give an account of observations made on a series of sixty-one cases collected over a period of three years. Details are given of urinary findings in these cases as well as in a series of healthy newborn infants, clinical signs and symptoms are described, treatment is indicated and the results recorded. Autopsy findings are given in connection with certain of the fatal cases and details of progress after discharge from hospital in children who recovered.