The energy requirement of the new born

Abstract

To find whether it would be desirable from a physiological standpoint to furnish some artificial food together with the colostrum during the first three days of life, the energy requirement of the newborn was ascertained by means of a respiration incubator.

Series of cases from the wards of Bellevue Hospital show that the initial weight loss averages over 250 gm. and that this loss is increased by lengthening the interval of feedings and lessened by the supplementary feeding of a milk mixture similar to colostrum. The infants were able to take the extra feedings without any disturbances of digestion.

Mr. Frank Gephart, of the physiologica1 laboratory, made analyses of five specimens of secondand third-day colostrum and found the utilizable heat value averaged 65 calories per 100 C.C. While the food value of the colostrum is great, our own observations and many reports from the literature show that the average amount of breast secretion is 14 C.C. on the first day, 77 C.C. on the second day, 173 C.C. on the third day and from that time on gradually increasing to 372 C.C. on the sixth day, hardly, in the first three days at least, an amount that would give the infant much nourishment.

With the respiration apparatus of Benedict connected to an airtight chamber placed within a Freas electric constant temperature incubator of special construction, the carbon dioxide eliminated and the oxygen absorbed were measured under proper temperature conditions.

Nineteen observations were made on six newborn infants varying in age from 6 hours to 12 days. From the results were obtained the respiratory quotients and by the indirect method, using the method of Zuntz and Schumberg, the heat production was calculated.