A retrospective study was done on infants and children hospitalized from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 1988 at the Pediatric Ward of Dr. Pirngadi Hospital, Medan. In this period a total of 3370 patients had been hospitalized and 1356 (40.24%) had gastroenteritis of whom 96 patients (7.08%) died. The causes of death as the complications were encephalopathy in 27 patients (28.12%), bronchopneumonia in 32 (33.33%), shock in 27 (28.12%), sepsis in 6 (6.25%) and acidosis in 4 (4.17%). Fifty one (53.12%) of those 96 patients who died were in the age group of under one year. The age specific mortality rate was highest in the age group of 1 month (14.28%). Of those 1356 patients with gastroenteritis 566 (41.74%) were well nourished of whom 8 patients died (1.42%); mildly malnourished in 532 patients of whom 36 (6.77%) died; and severely malnourished in 258 patients of whom 52 (20.16%) died. As far as the duration of illness was concerned 43 patients (12.73%) who died had a history of illness at home of 1 day. Beside the complications of the disease it seemed that the nutritional factors might have interfered with the mortality of patients with gastroenteritis.