Protective Value for Infants of Various Types of Vitamin D Fortified Milk

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Abstract
The discrepancy is again emphasized as between the rat assays of antirachitic agents and the protective and curative value of such agents for human infants. Three types of vitamin D fortified milk were studied; namely (a) irradiated pasteurized milk, (b) "yeast milk," and (c) milk from irradiated cows. Parallel studies were conducted on rats with all three types, and on infants with the first and third types. Some curative studies, however, were made upon infants with "yeast milk," the second type. The amount of vitamin D by assay and the protection afforded infants against rickets by the first two types were found equivalent in most respects to the favorable results reported by other investigators. Preliminary investigations of milk from irradiated cows, both by rat assay and by protective and curative experiments on human infants would suggest a definite increase in vitamin D potency over the milk from control cows. Twenty infants over a period of 6 to 8 mos. were protected from rickets by this antirachitic agent alone, and a few others, with definite rickets, were cured by this same agent alone. These data are not conclusive until the group of infants has been followed for a longer period. The rat assay on milk from irradiated cows approximated 22 units of vitamin D per quart of milk. The apparent effectiveness in preventing rickets in infants by such a small number of vitamin D units emphasizes the importance of certain unknown and unmeasured factors in vitamin D fortified milk which deserve further consideration and study.
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