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electronics engineer eight miles (12 9 kin)) away. The mean birth weight of the infants was 1702 g (range 520-4040 g) and their mean gestational age was 32 weeks (range 24-42 weeks). The principal reasons for referral were low birth weight and severe respiratory illnesses. Altogether 109 (49")) of the infants needed--mechanical ventilation in transit and another 38 (17"%) needed it later. During the journey the condition of 88 (40(%) of the infants was thought to improve, in 125 (56X)") it was static and in nine (4t,)-four of whom died-it deteriorated. A total of 142 infants (64",) survived the neonatal period. There was no correlation between the distance travelled and the survival rate.Seriously ill newborn infants may be transported safely to a referral centre within a radius of 50 miles, and the risks of the journey are negligible compared with the risks of leaving the infant in a hospital that is not staffed or equipped for neonatal intensive care.

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Summary and conclusions During 1975-7, 96