In 50 patients with marasmus and kwashiorkor the thrombolastograph was used to study the kinetics of clot formation and the elasticity of the clot finally formed. Thrombocytopenia was found in 6%, prolonged bleeding time in 4%, poor clot retraction in 82% and poor factor V activity in 26% of the patients. Different types of thrombolastographic patterns were found: a normal pattern in 24%, a hypercoagulable pattern in 10% and a hypocoagulable pattern in 66% of the patients. The thrombolastogram was useful in screening children with hypercoagulable patterns who were more susceptible to disseminated intravascular coagulation when under "stress".