The hospital progress of nine hundred ninety-two premature infants fed evaporated milk-carbohydrate mixtures

Abstract

Summary An analysis of 992 premature live births at the Beth-El Hospital is presented. These babies were all under the care of various members of the pediatric staff. All were fed and cared for according to a basic regime which is set forth in detail. The feedings were all evaporated milk-Dextri-Maltose formulas used in varying proportions. Among the 992 premature babies there were 134 deaths, a mortality rate of13.5 per cent. More than one-half of the deaths occurred during the first twenty-four hours and three-fourths during the first two days of life. In the group of infants weighing up to 1,000 Gm. at birth the mortality rate was 98 per cent. Where the birth weight was between 1,000 Gm. and 2,000 Gm. the mortality rate was 26.2 per cent and in the babies weighing between 2,000 Gm. and 2,500 Gm. there was a mortality rate of only 3.1 per cent. The infants made noteworthy progress on the routine outlined. The averageday on which birth weight was regained was 5.8 days with an average hospital stay of 16.4 days. Our babies made an average daily weight gain of 0.92 ounces (26.1 Gm.) during the second to fourth weeks of life and were discharged at an average weight of 88.7 ounces (2,514.6 Gm.). There was an over-all mean daily weight gain during the period from the second to fourth week of 11.2 Gm. per kilogram of body weight. We feel that our babies have done exceptionally well on the evaporated milk-Dextri-Maltose regime outlined, and that its simplicity and uniformity, together with the excellent results herein reported, militate for its more general use in the care of premature infants.