It is now over 15 years since infants suffering from the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) were first treated with artificial ventilation.1-4 The principles on which this treatment was based were sound, but the difficulties in implementation great. Institution of artificial ventilation was commenced late in the disease when the infant was approaching a state of respiratory and circulatory failure. This was in part because of the problem in identifying which infant might recover spontaneously and in part because of the hazards of therapy. However, as knowledge and experience increased, pediatricians gradually learned of the intricacies not only of the machines but also of the disease and began to manage patients with varying degrees of success.5
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