A health and social survey of a group of children from rural New South Wales.

Between the middle of May and middle of July, 1972, 177 children aged up to 15 years were admitted to a nursing home in Sydney on referral from their doctors in country areas of New South Wales for specialized investigation and treatment mainly of respiratory infections, congenital malformations and orthopaedic and ophthalmic conditions. Specimens of faeces from these children were examined for bacterial pathogens and parasites. These tests revealed the presence of intestinal parasites (mostly Giardia lamblia) in 91 of the children and of bacterial pathogens in 14 (a salmonella in one and shigellas in 13). The general health and development of the children and the socioeconomic status of their families were below the average for New South Wales.