IN A 4-YEAR PERIOD BEGINNING IN 1962, THE LEGISLATURES OF ALL 50 STATES PASSED STATUTES AGAINST ABUSE OF CHILDREN. ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIAL FORCES THAT GAVE RISE TO THE DEVIANT LABELING OF CHILD BEATING AND THAT PROMOTED ENACTMENT OF CRIMINAL LEGISLATION FOCUSES ON CERTAIN ORGANIZED MEDICAL INTERESTS WHOSE CONCERN IN THE DISCOVERY OF THE 'BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME' CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCE OF HUMANITARIAN PURSUITS WHILE COVERTLY REWARDING MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. THE ANALYSIS BEGINS WITH AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF SOCIAL REACTION TO ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR PRIOR TO THE FORMULATION OF FIXED LABELS IN THE EARLY 1960'S. THE SURVEY DESCRIBES THE IMPACT OF THREE REFORM MOVEMENTS: THE 19TH-CENTURY 'HOUSE-OF-REFUGE' MOVEMENT; EARLY 20TH-CENTURY CRUSADES BY THE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN; AND THE RISE OF JUVENILE COURTS. THE DISCUSSION THEN TURNS TO THE STATUS OF CULTURAL VALUES RELATED TO THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AT THE TIME OF THE 'DISCOVERY' OF ABUSE AS DEVIANCE. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION THAT WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE DISCOVERY OF A PARTICULAR TYPE OF DEVIANT LABEL ARE IDENTIFIED, AND SOCIAL REACTIONS ARE DISCUSSED. THE CONSEQUENCES OF ADOPTING A 'SICK' LABEL FOR ABUSERS INCLUDE LAW RATES OF PROSECUTION FOR ABUSERS AND MODIFICATION OF REPORTING STATUTES SO AS TO CHANNEL REPORTING TOWARD HELPING SERVICES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).