Cam Nghia, VIETNAM. 1998. Pham Hong Quy, 24, has several epileptic fits a day. During the war his father was in the South where much Agent Orange was sprayed.

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Villagers with their affected children attend the health clinic for their weekly check-up. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. LE Thi Dat, thirteen, suffers from spina bifida and mental retardation. She was born in neary Quang Tri Hospital, "very weak". Her mother, Le Thi Thuyen, 49, carries her outside most sunny days while she hoes her garden nearby. Her father was a soldier in the Saigon army during the war, stationed near Cam Nghia. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Le Thi Dat, thirteen, suffers from spina bifida and mental retardation. She is inseparable from her doll. She was born in neary Quang Tri Hospital, "very weak". Her mother, Le Thi Thuyen, 49, carries her outside most sunny days while she hoes her garden nearby. Her father was a soldier in the Saigon army during the war, stationed near Cam Nghia. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. TRAN Thi Hong, five, suffers from spina bifida. She cannot lie down and is frightened not to be held by someone at all times. When the weather changes, especially sunshine to rain, she becomes epileptic. She has an affected brother and another brother and sister who are unaffected. 1998

VIETNAM. Tran Van Hoang, 16, has short arms & legs. To strengthen his muscles local volunteers made a bamboo walkway. 4 children in the family are afflicted. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. TON Nhu Cam Nhung, ten, has spina bifida, is deaf and suffers from epilepsy. She is cared for by her mother, HOANG Thi Bich, and her father, TON That Quynh Ngo. They have several normal children, one of whom gave birth to TON That Phi Vu, five, seen here with his catapult. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Ton Nhu Cam Nhung, ten, has spina bifida, is deaf and suffers from epilepsy when the weather changes. Her father, who fought with the Americans during the war says: "America has a responsibility to help our sick children." 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Single mother, TRUONG Thi Thuy, 36, with her daughter, TRAN Thi Kieu who was born without eyes. She is also dumb and has some hearing recognition. She is happy most of the time, but when the weather changes she clenches her fists, shout and pokes at her eyesockets. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Single mother, TRUONG Thi Thuy, 36, with her daughter, TRAN Thi Kieu who was born without eyes. She is also dumb and has some hearing recognition. She is happy most of the time, but when the weather changes she clenches her fists, shout and pokes at her eyesockets. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. LE THI Hoai Nhonn, 23, has the stature of a three-year-old, with stunted fingers and toes. Her father, LE Huu Dong, 55, a rice farmer, was stationed nearby in the Saigon Army for the entire war. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Le Thi Mit ties the hands of her eldest son, Nguyen Van Lanh, sixteen, to prevent him from harming himself or others. His younger brother, Nguyen Van Truong, nine, has an eye defect that makes him very sensitive to light.1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. TRAN Ngoc Tang is cared for by his mother, NGUYEN Thi Hai. Tang, eight, has spina bifida. His father Tran Ngoc Lo was sprayed in Cam Nghia as a child. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. A ten-year-old boy who appears normal apart from nodules growing on the side of his face.1998

Cam Nghia, VIETNAM. 1998. 9 month old baby Hoang Huu Cuug, held by his mother Le Thi Ninh. His 2 older siblings were born normal. His parents spent the war in Cam Lo district.

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. The main street of the village. Normally in Vietnam, no child of this age is carried. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Nine-month-old HOANG Huu Cung, was born with a harelip. His mother, LE Thi Ninh, and her husband, Hoang Huu Tich, spent the war together in Cam Nghia. Their two older children have no abnormalities. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. PHAM Hong Quy, 24, has several epileptic fits every day. He has a dysfunction of his right hand and left leg. His mother, PHAN Thi Thao, looks on as the village health volunteer LE Thi Binh (on left) makes her weekly visit. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Mothers with their afflicted children wait to see the village nurse. This boy's condition is beyond treatment available within Vietnam and his mental condition precludes him him from being sent abroad for surgery.1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. LE Thi Tram, six, was born with one enlarged testicle that swells according to the weather. While leukemia can be a cause the nurse felt that this case was more likely to be a cancerous tumor. 1998

VIETNAM. Le Thi Dat, thirteen, suffers from spina bifida and mental retardation. She is inseparable from her doll. She was born in neary Quang Tri Hospital, "very weak". Her mother, Le Thi Thuyen, 49, carries her outside most sunny days while she hoes her garden nearby. Her father was a soldier in the Saigon army during the war, stationed near Cam Nghia. 1998

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. LE THI Hoa, fourteen, born stunted with deformed fingers, proudly demonstrates her excellent penmanship. 1998.

VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. 1998. TRAN Van Lam, ten, is mentally retarded and has difficulty walking. His older brothers, TRAN Van Thuan and TRAN Van Hoang also suffer from malformed legs. Their father built them a bamboo walkway to help strengthen their limbs.

During the war the lack of doctors and specialized surgical techniques led to the adoption of amputation as a timesaving measure. In post-war Vietnam the production of artificial limbs has become a major industry. With the country's recent change in economic direction, limbless beggars have become a common sight.