The efficacy of hospital hygienic measures was checked in six hospitals. The programme was started by determining the effective state. Subsequently a two-day extension course for the training and instruction of the responsible personnel in charge (physicians, nurses and administrative staff) in the essential problems of hospital hygiene was held. The next measure consisted in giving advice in the preparation of hygiene plans which had to make allowance for the prevailing personal and constructional situation as well as for the hospital equipment. The hygiene plans represented the written concept of the measures to be implemented. Then enquiries, local inspections as well as hygienic-bacteriological ambient analyses were carried out to determine the hygienic situation in the hospital after adoption of the measures and the findings were compared with the situation preceding the initiation of the hygienic programme. The results show that the proposed improvements were mostly realised as far as such administrative measures as the procurement of disinfectant dispensers, throwaway towels and suitable disinfectants were concerned. The instructions given for the implementation of suitable methods of application were complied with to a lesser extent. Moreover, considerable improvements were achieved with regard to the operation and efficiency of the sterilizers. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that suitable measures largely reduce the extensive gaps in information on the part of the staff on hospital hygiene and that the resulting intensification of efforts can greatly contribute towards an improvement of the overall hygiene in hospitals.