The detection of heart disease in children.

IN PREVIOUS REPORTS a method was described for the detection of heart disease in large populations of school children by a tape-recording system in a mobile trailer. Results were presented of the first mass field trial, accomplished in Chicago public elementary school children." 2 Since the presentation of these reports two additional research and developmental studies have been done, with semiportable equipment but without a trailer. The first surveyed the elementary and junior high school population in Michigan City, Indiana; the second, Chicago area high school students. The results of these investigations are reported in this and the subsequent paper. The primary objective of the Michigan City study was to test validity of the method. Information on prevalence rates of rheumatic and congenital heart disease, prevalence of