This medical film, introduced by Fiona Anthony, describes the symptoms and main types of meningitis. It stresses the need for urgent action by parents if they suspect their child is infected, and offers some practical guidance on symptoms in children and babies. The research team at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington explain the difficulties in diagnosing the disease. These strands are interwoven with a dramatised story illustrating how lack of knowledge of the disease could be fatal.