American journal of diseases of children

Bruck, ERIKA; WEINTRAUB, DAVID H.

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010655001pmid: 13268047

Hypocalcemia with or without tetanic symptoms has frequently been observed in sick infants. This is particularly common during the first month of life.* In addition, tetany of the newborn occurs in infants who are not otherwise ill. These cases often present difficult etiologic and therapeutic problems. When many serum calcium determinations are done on young infants, frequent cases of hypocalcemia are discovered. An impression was gained that newborn infants who are premature or ill with any serious disease tend to have hypocalcemia, not necessarily associated with symptoms of tetany. The following questions therefore arose: What are the "normal" fluctuations or variations of the serum calcium level in full-term and premature infants during the neonatal period?Which factors influence the serum calcium level? Can the symptomatology of the infants be correlated with the serum calcium level, considering also such other influences as the serum potassium level and the

GORDON, HARRY H.; NITOWSKY, HAROLD M.; CORNBLATH, MARVIN

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010671002pmid: 13268048

In 1949, Owens and Owens1 suggested that defective absorption of fat by premature infants * and the use of partially skimmedcows'-milk mixtures † might lead to a deficiency of vitamin E. Support for the latter concept was obtained by Wright, Filer, and Mason,9 who reported that the serum tocopherol levels of premature infants fed partially skimmed cows' milk decreased from average levels of 0.4 mg. per 100 cc. at birth to 0.1 mg. at age 31-40 days. Other investigators reported average levels of 0.25 to 0.5 mg. per 100 cc. for premature infants fed unsupplemented diets,‡ well below the level of approximately 1 mg. per 100 cc. found in full-term infants fed at the breast.9 György and Rose § reported that the erythrocytes of vitamin-E-deficient rats were hemolyzed by suitable incubation with dialuric acid and that this hemolysis was preventable either by feeding tocopherol or by its addition

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010683003

A. M. A. Annual Meeting, Chicago, June 11-15, 1956.—The 105th Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association will be held in Chicago, June 11-15, 1956, with a full program of lectures, television, motion pictures, and scientific exhibits. The lecture program for each Section is prepared by the Section Secretary, and prospective participants should communicate as soon as possible with the Secretary of the Section before which they hope to read a paper. Application blanks for space in the Scientific Exhibit are now available and may be obtained from the Section Representative to the Scientific Exhibit. Section on Pediatrics Secretary: Wyman C. C. Cole Sr., M.D., 3001 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit 2. Exhibit Representative: F. Thomas Mitchell, M.D., Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis 5. Additional information may be obtained from the Secretary, Council on Scientific Assembly, American Medical Association, 535 N. Dearborn St., Chicago

SCOTT, ROLAND B.; FERGUSON, ANGELLA D.; JENKINS, MELVIN E.; CLARK, HARRIETTE M.

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010684004pmid: 13268049

INTRODUCTION Genetically, sickle-cell anemia was probably first introduced into the United States in 1619, when the first African slaves were brought to the colonies. The initial clinical description was recorded by Herrick in 1910.1 The asymptomatic trait has been found to occur in 7% to 10% of Negroes in this country.2 Sickle-cell anemia fortunately is much less prevalent; it is estimated that between 30,000 and 100,000 individuals suffer from this disease in the United States.3 It is now generally accepted that the gene responsible for sickling produces the asymptomatic trait when present in the heterozygous state4 and active sickle-cell disease when it occurs in the homozygous state. The red blood cells in both sickle-cell anemia and the sickling trait contain an abnormal hemoglobin ("S" hemoglobin) and are capable of distorting their shape when exposed to reduced oxygen tension. The red blood cells in persons with the

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010693005

Benjamin Knox Rachford Lectureships.—The 24th annual series of the Benjamin Knox Rachford Lectureships will take place in Cincinnati, on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Feb. 14 and 15, 1956. Dr. Robert J. Huebner, of the National Microbiological Institute in Bethesda, Md., will deliver these lectures in the auditorium of the Children's Hospital Clinic and Research Building. The titles of his lectures are (1) "The Opportunities and Problems of Modern Virus Research" and (2) "The APC and Coxsackie Virus Infections of Childhood."

SCHUCKMELL, NATALIE; GROVE, WILLIAM J.; REMENCHIK, ALEXANDER P.

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010694006pmid: 13268050

The development of surgical procedures which can modify the course of disease associated with portal hypertension has made early recognition and accurate diagnosis of this condition imperative. This applies in particular to the pediatric age group. In many cases found in infants and children such complications as hemorrhage from esophageal varices and pathological depression of erythrocyte, leucocyte, and platelet levels due to hypersplenism can be avoided by appropriate treatment. Accurate diagnosis of the cause of portal hypertension including the site of portal obstruction is necessary not only to define clearly the indications for surgery, but also to plan the most appropriate procedure. Several extensive anatomical investigations of the portal venous system have been made recently because of the renewed interest in portal decompression in the treatment of portal hypertension.1 A compilation of the most frequently encountered patterns in the disssections of 92 specimens by Douglass, Baggenstoss, and Hollinshead2

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010702007

United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation.—In order to accelerate the research attack on the complex problem of cerebral palsy, a special Research and Educational Foundation has been established by United Cerebral Palsy and a group of interested industrialists, as announced by Jack Hausman, UCP President. At an organization meeting of the new foundation held on Sept. 30, the following officers were elected: Chairman of the Board, Leonard H. Goldenson, of New York, President of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, and also Chairman of the Board of United Cerebral Palsy; President, Jack Hausman, of New York, President of M. Hausman & Sons, and also President of UCP; Vice-President, Roger S. Firestone, of Pottstown, Pa., President of Firestone Plastics Co.; Vice-President, William Clay Ford, of Detroit, Vice President, Ford Motor Company; Vice-President, Joseph A. Martino, of New York, President of National Lead Co.; Treasurer, William C. Langley, of New York, Partner, William

LAWLER, HARRY J.

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010703008pmid: 13268051

TETANUS of the newborn, formerly nearly always fatal, has been more amenable to therapy in recent years; antiserum, sedation, and penicillin have improved the prognosis.* The nutrition of these patients has continued to present a problem to pediatricians; at the meeting of the American Pediatric Society in 1954 the problem was referred to as very difficult.8 It is therefore the purpose of the present report to point out the advantages of the percutaneous intravenous drip when combined with the "room within a room" protective effect of an incubator. Most of the baby's needs may be satisfied without repeated pain, handling, noise, flashing lights, or other undesirable stimuli. A decrease in number and intensity of such stimuli is followed by a decreased incidence of those events which are most likely to end the case fatally: tetanic convulsive or laryngospastic episodes. It also follows that the amount of sedation may be

SPYROPOULOS, N. J.; BEZOS, D. H.; BELKA, E.

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010705009pmid: 13268052

UNDER the title, "Rimifon and Still's Disease," we previously published a preliminary report on a case of Still's disease, or atrophic rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, under the title "Isonicotinic Acid Derivatives in Different Abnormal Conditions," we have reported to the Greek Pediatric Society on Feb. 24, 1953, a summary of the therapeutic effects of isoniazid in the same case to the above date. REPORT OF A CASE M. K., a girl aged 6 years, was admitted to the hospital on July 13, 1952. She was the second child of healthy parents and was born without complications after a normal pregnancy. One year prior to admission she underwent a tonsillectomy. At the time of admission she had a nine-month history of moderate fever and painful, gradually swelling joints, fusiform in shape, with stiffness and limitation and loss of movement. She was cachectic and melancholy. Physical examination on admission revealed pallor, sunken eyes,

1955 American journal of diseases of children

doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1955.04030010706010

Program of Cancer Fellowships and Residencies.—The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute provides facilities and equipment for therapy and research in the field of malignant diseases for qualified applicants seeking training and research opportunities in oncology: 80,000 ft. of space devoted to research, clinics equipped to handle 100 new patients and 200 revisits daily, a cobalt-60 irradiator and betatron, and radioactive isotope facilities. Fellowships and residencies are under the auspices of The University of Texas Postgraduate School of Medicine. Participation in fundamental cancer research under able guidance, as well as a broad program of education in the Texas Medical Center, is offered in the following divisions: Diagnostic Radiology Therapeutic Radiology Anatomical Pathology Clinical Pathology Experimental Pathology Medicine Experimental Medicine Surgery Experimental Surgery Malignant Diseases (Rotating) Anesthesiology Biochemistry Pediatrics Gynecology Physics Neurological Surgery For further information and application forms write to Grant Taylor, M.D., Office of