82 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia and 76 comparable controls were studied. Gastric biopsy revealed chronic gastritis in 42 out of 82 patients and 23 out of 76 normal control subjects, the dyspeptic population showing significantly greater frequency of gastritis. Changes of superficial gastritis were seen in 28 patients with dyspepsia and in 19 controls. Atrophic gastritis was observed in 14 patients with dyspepsia and in 4 subjects of the control group. This condition is uncommon in the tropics as compared to the Anglo-Saxon population. The significantly high occurrence of chronic gastritis in the inmates of the poor-house included as a subgroup of asymptomatic normals, points towards the possible role of chronic malnutrition in causing chronic gastritis. Spices, tea and smoking did not appear to influence the frequency of gastritis.