The 24 hr. urinary excretion of total 17-ketosteroids was studied in 30 normal subjects and in 48 abnormal individuals of varying ages and both sexes. The total excretion was also partitioned into the 3-cis ([beta]) and 3-trans ([alpha]) hydroxyl fractions. Three colorimetric methods were employed, the original Zimmermann technique, a modified meta-dinitrobenzene technique, and the antimony trichloride method of Pincus. The following avg. normal values were found: for the 3-cis ([beta]) hydroxyl fraction, 1.3 mg./day; for the 9 3-trans ([alpha]) hydroxyl fraction, 6.3 mg./-day; for the cT 3-trans ([alpha]) fraction, 12.9 mg./day. The 17-ketosteroid excretion is very low in old age, emaciating disease, delayed pubescence, untreated Addison''s disease, and in neoplasms not arising in a gonad or the adrenal cortex. High values were found in virilism associated with fibromatosis of the ovary or with adrenal hyperplasia; and also in tumor of the adrenal cortex. In later stages of the latter disease, at times the total excretion reached a g/day. The partition in all cases between the 3-cis ([beta]) and the 3-trans ([alpha]) hydroxyl compounds was relatively uniform (1:9) with two exceptions. In eunuchoidism, the 3-trans ([alpha]) fraction was decreased and the 3-cis ([beta]) increased: the partition was 1:2. In virilism without tumor the partition was 1:3. In tumor of the adrenal cortex, the ratio of cis to trans varied, but occasionally approached 2:1.