Epidemiological information concerning disease patterns among blacks in southern Africa is scanty and a plea has been made for greater research. Between September 1968 and January 1970, patients admitted to the medical wards of Jane Furse Hospital in Lebowa were studied; 14 years later the study was repeated and the results compared. The increasing incidence of asthma, hypertension and diabetes, well recognized in urban blacks, seems to be reflected in the rural setting of Jane Furse Hospital. Tuberculosis remains a common problem and a cause for concern.