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In 3 districts of the county of Halle and in the cities of Halle and Halle-Neustadt about 18,000 children of different groups of age were examined wether they were suffering from recurrent or chronic nonspecific lung diseases (CNSLD). Among the 18,000 children we found 4.3% with lung diseases. The morbidity rate was the lowest in the city of Halle and in the district of Quedlinburg, while in Bitterfeld, the district with the highest air pollution, about two times more children had fallen ill. In all districts the prevalence of CNSLD in young children was much higher than in elder ones. In the district with the highest air pollution with increasing age of the children the rate of prevalence lowered more slowly than in the other districts.

In the district of Merseburg, characterized by a very high degree of air pollution, we have examined 4445 children of the following 4 age-groups 5.-6., 8.-9., 11.-12., and 14.-16. years of life. As a result we found 3,04% of them suffering from recurrent bronchitis, 0,34% from chronic bronchitis and 0,43% from bronchial asthma. The frequency of morbidity on recurrent and chronic bronchitis lowered with increasing age of the children. In asthma, however, this relation did not exist. There were no differences of the frequency of chronic or recurrent bronchitis between the two sexes, but boys suffered much more often from asthma than girls. In places with a high degree of air pollution the frequency of morbidity was significantly higher than in places with somewhat lower air pollution.

Report of an epidemiological study in the district of Quedlinburg. This district comprises parts of the mountains of the Harz and an area in front of the Mountains. 4544 children were examined in the age-groups 5.-6., 8.-9., 11.-12. and 14.-15. years of life. In 3,4% of all children a chronic or recurrent nonspecific lung disease was discovered (in 2,5% a recurrent bronchitis, in 0,48% a chronic bronchitis and in 0,24% bronchial asthma). With increasing age the number of diseased children decreases. Differences in the frequency of the diseases between boys and girls could not be found. There were no differences in the rate of the diseases between the towns with somewhat higher degree of air pollution (Quedlinburg and Thale) and the other parts of the district. The frequency of bronchitis however was significantly higher in the mountains of the Hartz than in the lower situated territory, perhaps due to the rougher climate in the mountains.

The planning and organization of an epidemiological investigation is reported to find out the frequency of chronic nonspecific lung diseases (CNSLD) in childhood as a whole and in special groups of age. By investigating regions with different air pollution we tried to study the influence of air pollution on the frequency of childhood lung diseases. Therefore, we examined nearly 5000 children in the city of Halle and in the districts of Quedlinburg, Merseburg and Bitterfeld. The children belonged to the age-groups 5.-6., 8.-9., 11.-12. and 14.-15. years of life in nearly the same number. The investigations were performed by different groups of investigators. However, by equal terms of reference and uniform evaluation of the results by two of us the results of the four districts are comparable with each other.

In Halle, an old city, and Halle-Neustadt, a town built in the past 10 years, our investigation was performed on 4418 children. We ascertained chronic or recurrent nonspecific bronchopulmonary diseases in 3,1% of them. 2,4% suffered from recurrent bronchitis, 0,4% from chronic bronchitis and 0,3% from bronchial asthma. Significant differences in the morbidity between the sexes were found only in asthma: boys were fallen ill twice often than girls. The frequency of morbidity lowered with increasing age significantly. Between Halle and Halle-Neustadt significant differences existed: in the old parts of Halle (especially in the centre, the eastern and southern districts) there were much more sick children than in the newly-built town.

Various dates on amoxicillin (resorption, distribution, elimination, tissue passage, urinary excretion) are presented. The bacterial spectrum is more fully discussed. Amoxicillin is compared with ampicillin. Dosage and therapeutical results are presented. Within repeated bronchoscopic examinations necessary on account of bronchopulmonary affections determination of germs were done in 88 children. At the same time examination of ampicillin levels in bronchial secretions were performed after amoxicillin therapy with different high doses (3 x 125 mg to 3 x 750 mg) for 7 days. It could be shown that good antibiotic levels could be found in secretion specimens above all obtained 2 to 4 hours after the last amoxicillin administration. They could be found too, if there did not exist any purulent secretion or stronger inflammation. There are relations between the amount of dosage, the level in secretion as well as the influence on germs.

Bitterfeld and Wolfen are towns with extremely polluted air, due to important plants of the chemical industry. In two different actions we examined 3634 children of four different groups of age. As a result we found 7,8% of them (281 children) suffering from chronic or recurrent nonspecific bronchopulmonary diseases (7,0% suffering from recurrent or chronic bronchitis, and 0,8% from bronchial asthma). The rate of morbidity was the same in both towns. It was significantly higher than in the other districts examined by us (Halle, Merseburg, Quedlinburg). In contrast to the other districts we found in Bitterfeld and Wolfen only an insignificant decrease of the morbity rate with increasing age of the children.