Harry A. Waisman

Renal clearance of endogenous phosphate in infants and children.

Summary 1. The clearance of endogenous inorganic phosphate is relatively low in the newborn period. 2. The clearances of phosphate in older infants, children and adolescents approximate those of the adult. 3. The tubular reabsorption of phosphate was found to average 87.7% of the glomerular filtrate in children and adolescents. 4. The clearances of phosphate at all ages have a wide variation

Treatment of acute leukemia in children with and without folic acid antagonists

Summary The natural history of eighty-six cases of acute leukemia in children has been described. Only two of these have been Negroes. Preschool age children are primarily affected and the average life expectancy is 5.5 months. The folic acid antagonists, Aminopterin and A-methopterin, have provided clinical improvement and prolonged life in the majority of cases. Bone marrow remissions have been obtained for as long as thirty months. The role of Aminopterin as a folic acid and citrovorum factor antagonist has been discussed in respect to the enzymes concerned in protein metabolism associated with cellular maturation.

Role of Aureomycin and Citrovorum Factor in “Folic Acid” Deficiencies.

Summary 1. “Folic acid” deficiencies induced by aminopterin and by sulfa drugs in rats have been compared. 2. Aureomycin can counteract the toxic effects of 50, 75 and 100 μg of aminopterin/100 g of diet. The antibiotic is equally effective whether fed in the diet or given intraperitoneally. 3. Aureomycin is without effect on growth in rats made “folic acid deficient” on a sulfa diet. 4. Citrovorum factor concentrates are able to completely overcome the deficiency produced on either type of diet.

Vitamin B12 sparing action of aureomycin in the rat.

Summary Aureomycin can replace vit. B12 in the purified diet of the rat. A possible explanation for these findings must consider the influence of the antibiotic on intestinal synthesis in the rat. When the antibiotic activity is destroyed, the growth response is not observed.

Hyperpigmentation in Acute Leukemia Treated with Folic Acid Antagonists.

Summary Hyperpigmentation of the skin has been observed in several cases of acute leukemia receiving folic acid antagonists and histological studies in one patient confirmed the impression that true melanogenesis had occurred. The role of antagonists in influencing the tyrosinases concerned in melanin formation is unknown.

Further Role of Antibiotics in Aminopterin-Induced Folic Acid Deficiency in Rats∗

Summary Streptomycin, terramycin, penicillin and Chloromycetin, unlike aureomycin, were ineffective in overcoming the deficiency induced by the feeding of aminopterin to rats. Citrovorum factor is able to counteract amino-pterin at low levels, indicating that the amino-pterin may be a citrovorum factor antagonist as well as a folic acid antagonist. The addition of aureomycin to a diet containing citrovorum factor provides better growth than could be obtained on either supplement alone.

Vitamin requirements in adolescence

Summary A review of vitamin requirements in adolescence is presented. Although a planned low cost diet can provide accessory food factors in adequate quantity with the exception of vitamin D, nutrition surveys have revealed the existence of many mild single or multiple vitamin deficiency states. The increased metabolic requirements and the rapid growth spurt characteristic of this age period indicate that an attempt should be made to provide an optimal vitamin intake in the diet or by supplementation. Supplementation of the diet of every adolescent to include 1,000 units of vitamin D daily is specifically suggested.