In view of the statement of Stokes 1 that from 3 to 5 per cent of all children are syphilitic, we have been interested in determining the incidence of syphilis among dependent children. For this purpose, we have carefully studied the histories of 1,000 children under the care of the Associated Medical Clinic in Philadelphia. This is a clinic supported primarily by the Children's Aid Society of Pennsylvania, the Children's Bureau (of Philadelphia), the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Seybert Endowment and other agencies interested in Child Welfare, in cooperation with the Children's Hospital for the study of the children under their charge. From 6,000 to 8,000 visits a year are made to this clinic. Practically all of these children are dependent, that is, there has been some family catastrophe which has made necessary the care of these children by some child-caring or child-protective agency. Thus,