Annual report of the Director, Medical & Health Department / Colony of Mauritius.

  • Mauritius. Medical and Health Department
Date:
[1950]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Director, Medical & Health Department / Colony of Mauritius. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    121/122 (page 99)
    The quantities of Cliftol given were at the beginning of the experiment, 5 gins, for babies below 15 months and 10 gms. for those above one year (average 5 years). These were increased as the response from the nutritional view point was considered to be poor, although weight increase was satisfactory. In the last month of the experiment, babies below one year received 15 gms. daily and the others 25 gms. daily. The optimum dosage has not been worked out satisfactorily owing to the short duration of the experiment. While the experiment was in progress, four children of approximately the same age and weight as four other children under treatment served as control and were weighed regularly. The increases in weights were as follows: — Kilos Children under treatment . 5'5 Control 4'0 nr All the children of the institution were weighed weekly with the following: V results: — Seven children who received cliftol Thirteen children not receiving cliftol Average increase in iceight During After period ti eatment of for same- treatment period 1211 to 3/5 4/5 to 26/S kilograms kilograms 1 to 4 0*8 0 . 1 to 0 L3 The satisfactory increase in weight was not the only feature of the experiment. At its conclusion the children lost their more obvious sign of malnutrition. They were more alert, had lost their puffiness and had more or less the same appearance, energy and enthusiasm as the other children. It must be pointed out that the experiment was conducted during the greater part of the summer months. It would appear that after the discon¬ tinuance of the treament (from exhaustion of supplies) the undernourished, children did not fare as well as the other children. (normal). Also, the greater increase in weight of the normal children during the second period is probably due to seasonal factors, which acted adversely on the undernourished group. CONCLUSION Cliftol powder administered to children suffering from gross malnutrition produced a satisfactory increase in weight and removed the signs of : malnutrition. The experiment ended too soon as it is increase in weight was not maintained at its ' withdrawn. apparent that the satisfactory high level once the powder was