Evening star., 1954-09-17
Lysine in Babies Diet
Increases Growth Rate
Infunts Need More Amino
Acid Thun Do Adults
By Thomas R. Henry

BY Thomas K. Henry
NEW YORK. Sept 17-Feeding Of
lysine. one of the IL amino acids essen
tial for human nutrition, can substan-
italy increase the growth rate of ba-
bieS.
The amino acids are the basic chem
icals in food from which the body
builds up proteins. the building blocks
Of cells. Lysine long has been consid-
cred one Of the most important and is
contained in almost all protein foods.
Infants, it has been calculated, need
about twice as much Of it as adults.
The value Of lysine forsiflcation Of
foods. especially for babies with poor
appetites, was stressed before the Amer
ican Chemical Society here yesterday
by DR.. Anthony A. Albanese, chief Of
nutritional research at st. Luke's Hos
pital. Greenwich, Conn. ae isf
Milk apparently isn't rich enough in
lysine, he said. For this reason addi-
tions of meat juices long have been
urged after the first six months. These
serve the purpose DR.. Albanese said.
when the infants have normally good
appetiteS.
Babies Observed.
Observations were made on Is babies
from one to ~ months old for periods
varying from nine to 81 weeks. The
children were fed standard milk for
mulas with the supposedly essential
supplementary foods. The vitamin and
mineral content was as high as the
accepted levels. Extra lysine was added
to the formulas for three or four weeks
in the middle of the observation peri
ods. A control group of nine babies
got similar diet without the extra
amino acid.
The experiment showed that the
weight and blood composition of the
Is infants were markedly improved.
Most of these had poor appetites. In
every case improved nutrition by stand
ard means was attempted before the
lysine was used. In most cases this
caused only transient increase in
weight. followed by an even greater
decrease.
zone toddler IA months DID," Dr.
Albanese said, twas about five pounds
under weight for her age. Attempts to
improve her nutrition by high protein
or high caloric diets met with consist
ent failure. But when the lysine con-
tent was increased the appetite i'm
proved, high protein diets were better
tolerated. and body weight increased to
normal"
chemical which retards the evapo-
ration and lessons fire hazard of gaso-
line when added to 1t in amounts as
minute as two thousandths of per
cent was described before the society.
1t is a new kind of chemical product,
duorine-carbon combination, known
as surfactant. It forms an extremely
thin, invisible film over the surface Of
the liquid and acts as sort of chem
ical blanket"
The surfactant was described by DR..
George S. Blake of the Minnesota Min
ing and Manufacturing Co.
Evaporation Foiled.
His experiments have demonstrated,
he said, that more than rs per cent of
the treated gasoline still remained after
g an equal volume of untreated gasoline
had completely evaporated. The treat
ment had no effect on the value of the
fuel, as demonstrated by octane tests.
.aq "Some measurements are being made
r, on, the effect of another surfactant
when added to a standard fuel oil base
insecticide. The results show that al
most twice the normal kill of houseflies
was obtained. The possibility of using
such an agent in lubricating ellis and
greases has been suggested. Data show
they are capable of producing sig
niflcant surface effect in standard
lubricating oil by enhancing its wet
ing or penetrating properties. Appli-
cations are suggested in wakes used to
/, coat or impregnate paper and textiles"
The fluorine- e-containing surfactants.
he said, also add desirable properties
to paints, inks and cosmetics.
They function, he explained, by re-
ducing substantially liquids surface
tension-the force which draws the
surface of a liquid together and forms
drops.