Five groups of infants, all less than one week old, were studied. Two groups were fed breast milk and were considered as controls. Three other groups were given powdered milk formulas. The diet varied only in the vitamin D content. One of the control groups received a daily supplement of 600 USP units of an aqueous multi-vitamin preparation. One of the experimental groups received a powdered milk free of vitamin D; another group was fed a powdered red milk containing 400 USP units of vitamin D per quart of diluted formula, and a third group received a vitamin D-free powdered milk formula, and a daily supplement of 600 USP units of vitamin D in an aqueous multi-vitamin preparation.The authors found no instance of a serum calcium level below 8 mg./100 cc. in the group of infants receiving breast milk. The incidence of serum calcium levels below 8 mg./100 cc. in the experimental groups of infants varied from 10.9% in the group fed powdered milk vitamin D-free to 30% in the group receiving the largest amount of vitamin D. A statistical analysis of the results revealed that there was a significantly greater fall of the calcium level on the 5th day in Group 3 when compared with either Group 1 or 2. While the mean phosphorus level was significantly higher on the fifth day of life in each of the three experimental groups there was no significant difference in the phosphorus levels on the fifth day of life when the three groups are compared with each other.
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