Forty-seven (41 male) patients with biopsy-proved Hirschsprung's disease were seen in the past decade. The condition of more than half the patients was diagnosed within the first three months of life. These patients harbored bewildering clinical and radiographic manifestations and suffered a high mortality (22%), mainly from sepsis and enterocolitis. Patients whose condition was diagnosed after the first three months of life developed a more characteristic constipation pattern and none died. Sixteen of the 38 patients who underwent corrective operation received the modified Duhamel procedure and 15 the modified Soave. A comparison of these two groups at follow-up showed them to be similar, the modified Soave procedure having a slightly better record, 14 of 15 excellent to good results as opposed to 12 of 16 for the modified Duhamel.