HEMORRHAGIC DIATHESIS OF THE NEWBORN

Abstract

It has been fifteen years since Dam¹announced the discovery of vitamin K and described its antihemorrhagic properties. In the past two years we have seen proof of the valuable properties of this newcomer to the family of vitamins in two important clinical fields, namely the hemorrhagic state associated with obstructive jaundice and the hemorrhagic diathesis of the newborn. The rapid development in the chemical synthesis of vitamin K stands out as a landmark of accomplishment in the field of biologic chemistry. In March 1939 we²recorded the cases of two newborn infants both with marked prothrombin deficiency. In one infant there was in addition unnatural bleeding. To each of these infants natural vitamin K concentrate was administered orally, and within the short interval of two hours the prothrombin deficiency appeared to have been corrected and bleeding in the one instance promptly was controlled. On the basis of