Aboriginal children in hospital.

In 1974 there were 932 admissions of 624 Aboriginal infants and children to the Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, where they were treated for a period of 10,952 bed days. More than 50% of the patients were malnourished and many were anaemic. Most admissions were for nutritional and related disorders, especially chronic and recurrent infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts and the skin. The average stay in hospital was 12 days, approximately double that for non-Aboriginal children. There were six deaths, mostly in infants with overwhelming infections. These findings indicate the need for at least maintaining programmes aimed at improving the health and nutritional standards of young Australian Aborigines.