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The Content of Reduced Ascorbic Acid in Blood Plasma in Infants, Especially at Birth and in the First Days of Life

One Figure

Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, State University of Iowa, Iowa City

Determinations of reduced plasma ascorbic acid (Farmer and Abt, '36) in February and March show:

Twenty-two women averaged 0.26 mg. per 100 ml. at the end of their pregnancy; the values of the infants just after birth were higher (average 0.69 mg. per 100 ml.) and still larger amounts were present in cord blood (1.07 mg. per 100 ml.).

During the first 24 hours after birth the plasma ascorbic acid decreases nearly 50%, and when the infant is 10 days old the average value found is 0.27 mg. per 100 ml. which is almost the same value as was found in the maternal blood (0.26 mg. per 100 ml.). When cow's milk is given the plasma ascorbic acid remains at or slightly below this value for at least 4 to 5 weeks. The addition of 20 mg. of ascorbic acid or 1 ounce of orange juice daily is followed by an increase to from 0.56 to 0.81 mg. per 100 ml. whereas 10 mg. daily gave a considerably smaller increase in two cases.

Capillary resistance is very high (normal) in all cases at birth, but descreased in 39% of twenty-three normal 10-day-old infants. Two out of twelve normal older infants had a low capillary resistance in spite of a daily intake of orange juice.

Manuscript received 23 April 1938.