DRUGS AFFECTING THE AFFERENT NERVES Drugs that affect the afferent or sensory nerves are not very important to the urologist. Alkalies, oils, and local anesthetics are used to relieve cystalgia by rendering the urine less irritative or by coating over the mucosa of the bladder. Alkaline urine is usually less irritating than acid urine. Occasionally patients who are taking dilute hydrochloric acid for achlorhydria will complain of dysuria, but hypersensitivity is not a major complication of systemic medication. Drugs to stimulate the atonic bladder by irritation of the vesical and urethral mucosa have been sought for years. Glycerin in various dilutions has been advocated in postoperative retention of urine, but its use has always caused much pain, and I have never seen any beneficial results. Many years ago, a nurse told me that at her hospital, methenamine (Urotropin), 5 gm. every four hours, was used and was believed to be