SERUM LEVELS OF VITAMIN A IN CHILDREN

BLACKFAN and Wolbach¹have reported that "histologic evidences of A avitaminosis may occur in infants who are receiving an amount of vitamin A in their diet usually accepted as meeting the minimal protective needs of the body." Similar histologic changes have been observed by one of us (B. K.) in children with chronic diarrhea and cystic fibrosis of the pancreas who received amounts of vitamin A much larger than the considered adequate dose. It has been shown by May and his colleagues²and Chesney and McCoord³that impaired intestinal absorption of vitamin A exists in children with celiac disease, cystic fibrosis of the pancreas, obliteration of the bile ducts and cretinism. In an effort to circumvent this barrier to the absorption of vitamin A, the latter was administered by intramuscular injection.⁴Although McCoord and Breeze⁵obtained an elevation of the vitamin A level in the