A critical clinical study of concentrated and dried infant foods

Summary The results of a critical clinical study of 117 infants fed a modified dried milk are reported. It is shown that this dried milk meets the nutritional requirements of the normal infant, Vitamins A and B are both present in the usual quantities found in fresh milk, and vitamins C and D must necessarily be supplied by antiscorbutic and antirachitic agents. This food is easily digested by the normal infant. Although the general practice is to discontinue a modified dried milk at the usual age of weaning, children do well on it even if continued to a year of age or later. The gain in weight and the physical development in general in our series of cases compare favorably with groups fed various other foods. The excellent average gain in weight in the athreptic group of infants shows the value of this modified dried milk as a concentrated food in the feeding of marantic infants. There was no greater incidence of infection in this group of cases than in a control group. With the administration of a sufficient amount of antiscorbutic agent no manifestation of scurvy occurred. The incidence of rickets was not any higher than in infants fed fresh cow's milk or other types of infant foods. The incidence of rickets in the group given no antirachitic agent was no higher than in groups fed other foods with no antirachitic agent.