Surveys of various population groups in Washington, D. C., by the Division of Zoology, National Institute of Health1 have shown a lower incidence of pinworm infection in the Negro portion of the population examined than in the white portion. However, comparable groups of the two races were not always available for these earlier studies. The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of pinworm infection in groups of white and of Negro children held under comparable conditions.
The study was made at Children's Hospital, Washington, D. C., on children hospitalized for medical or surgical conditions, and it is believed to be the first reported investigation of pinworm infection made on hospitalized children. These children were all ward patients, and therefore they represent a low income group.
The subjects were chosen without reference to their medical diagnosis, except that occasionally critically ill patients or patients with infectious diseases were