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Nutritional investigation in day nurseries
Facilities were granted in 1951 to Professor John Yudkin, Department of Physiology,
King's College of Household Science (University of London), to carry out a nutritional
investigation at four day nurseries. The main purpose of the investigation was to
determine whether the present-day diet contains all the nutritional factors necessary for
the best growth and development of children and was designed to ascertain the effect
on the height and weight of young children by the daily administration of a vitamin B
preparation.
Of the original 75 children, 15 left during the experiment, so records of growth
were available for 60 children (31 boys and 29 girls) and as no differences in growth
between the boys and the girls were evident, the results for both sexes were combined.
Of the 60 children, 32 (17 boys and 15 girls) were in the experimental group and
28 (14 boys and 14 girls) in the control group. Average absences from the nurseries
were almost the same for the two groups. It was calculated that the average consumption
of liver powder by the children in the experimental group amounted to 1.2 g. daily
for the 91 days (13 weeks) of the test. The 32 children taking the supplement gained on
average about ¼ inch (0.6 c.m.) more in height and 10 oz. (285 g.) more in weight than
the 28 control children (i.e., roughly 20 per cent. and 40 per cent. more than the control
group). For various reasons, Professor Yudkin is of the opinion that the dietary factor
responsible for the effect on growth is not vitamin B12. He is continuing his work to
determine the distribution and nature of the growth factor.
Inquiry into prematurity
At the request of the National Birthday Trust Fund the Council agreed to co-operate
in an inquiry, the object of which was to investigate the causes of prematurity with
special reference to the effect of the mother's employment during pregnancy. Briefly,
the inquiry required health visitors to complete questionnaires in respect of (i) all
live-born premature first births in each of the months of December, 1952, and February,
April, June and August, 1953, and (ii) all live-born non-premature first births on the
7th, 14th, 21st and 28th of each of the months mentioned (the control group). The
health visitors were supplied by the Trust Fund with notes for guidance in completing
the questionnaires.
Inquiry on retrolental fibroplasia
In October the Ministry of Health expressed concern at the increasing number of cases
of retrolental fibroplasia in premature infants, resulting in blindness or seriously impaired
vision. The Ministry stated that the Medical Research Council was conducting an
inquiry, but that there might be epidemiological factors which might not be revealed
by this investigation, which was mainly clinical and pathological. The Ministry therefore
requested the co-operation of local health authorities in a wide survey to throw
light on the incidence and distribution of the disease and the Council agreed to participate
in the survey. The survey concerned all premature babies born in 1951, weighing
up to 4 lb. 6 oz. at birth, surviving two months or more and still resident in the County
(or who had died in the County at more than two months old). Schedules were supplied
by the Ministry to provide for information (in addition to birth weight, etc.) under
the following heads: (i) place of birth (if born at home, whether admitted to hospital
or nursing home within first two months); (ii) date of death (if child died after two
months old); (iii) condition of eyes (present condition of eyes, or at time of death, if
known). Schedules were completed in respect of 480 babies.