Margaret A. Ohlson

Pantothenic Acid Deficiency in Man

For the past seven years we have been studying the role of pantothenic acid in human nutrition and metabolism. This is part of a larger study aimed at defining more clearly the principles of clinical assessment of an essential nutrient in human subjects. It has been assumed that pantothenic acid is necessary for the maintenance of health in man but its abundance in natural foods was such that spontaneous deficiency either did not occur or had not been recognized. Presumably even in very poor diets, other vitamin deficiencies were limiting factors before pantothenic acid deficiency caused definite trouble. At least two avenues of investigation lay before us: to prepare and feed a diet devoid of pantothenic acid, or to give analogs of the vitamin and test possible antivitamin effects. Experiences in devising a deficient diet and testing several antagonists have been described (1-5). Clinical and laboratory abnormalities appeared in healthy young men given an artificial diet, partly synthetic and partly of purified ingredients, the whole virtually devoid of pantothenic acid. The mixture had to be given by stomach tube. The most extensive abnormalities occurred when in addition to the deficient diet large amounts of omega-methyl pantothenic acid were given. By the time we began the work and subsequently, other investigators described in detail the nature of pantothenic acid deficiency in several laboratory animals (6-10). In growing animals, the earliest evidence of pantothenic acid deficiency is a decline in the rate of growth (11, 12). Strange variations occur in the color of the fur. Exudative lesions appear around the eyes and nose. They are pigmented and contain porphyrin (13). In swine a peculiar neuropathy causes

Iron Content of Intact Placentas and Cords

l)e cent (If the wet weight of the organs. In a study of 143 German women, I\’Iischel4 found that the total iron ill the blood and tissue of the placentas averaged 1 l . 1 amid 4.2 mug., respectively, Tier 100 gin. of wet saniple. \Iore inforniation on the iron content of placelltas is needed in the evaluation of the iron requirement during pregnancy. The Inajority of investigations of this problem have been completed outside the United States, and few details of such factors as diet, prenatal medications and delivery procedures are ineluded, all of which mnay influence placental iroli losses. It appeared worthwhile, therefore, to collect intact placentas and their cords froni the delivery room of the State Uiiiversity of Iowa Hospitals in order to evaluate this iiiaterial ili niaternal iron loss.