Show PHYSICIANS TO RENEW WAR AGAINST RICKETS Porto Rico Studies Give United States Experts New Clues WASHINGTON UP Phys UP-Phys UP Physicians at the childrens children's bureau are arc prepared to o resume their fight light against rickets with renewed vigor despite their loss oss o of confidence in the chief chic weapon cod liver oil The child hygiene division o of the bureau recently engaged In a joint study of ot rickets with the Yale university university sity school of ot medicine Initial activity disclosed that bones of ot a large proportion of or Infants Inthe in inthe inthe the United States by ic Ic examination showed certain erain in changes Interpreted as ev evidence of rickets despite the fact a sui sufficient i nt amount of ot cod liver oil ail a preventive preventives had been given them Puzzled the d doctors dors wondered 1 if the changes were physiological variations variations vari van of ot normally growing bone On the other hand hand- the students qu questioned clues ques tinned interpretation of certain skeletal tal ini signs used In clinical di diagnosis sis sis' of f mild rickets Realizing that sunlight is a powerful power power- ful preventive and ond cure for rickets the experts decided to transfer their activities activities' to Porto Rico Here Her they received enlightenment Following a to of ot results they thoy exan examined ined nearly children under 3 years of ot otage age and who are exposed the year round t to Intense sunlight They devoted devoted de do- voted also attention to the socioeconomic socioeconomic socio- socio economic conditions under which families were living especially the diet of mothers and children The result startled them But five Porto Rican children revealed deli deli- nile nite evidence o of ever having rickets And it was pointed out one of ot these had lived in a lighted dimly tenement L e two Reck ek e. e before h borc-h hj e ex J while another incurred th the disease a wien f resident z of New York r f r City I v However in sharp contrast to th the almost complete absence of rickets in Porto Rico the physical and nutritional condition of the island children childre was critical according to bureau off oW- oW daIs There is' is no doubt doubt they reported that the general nutritional l condi tion of the great groat majority of Porto Port Rican children as seen from a clin clini clinical clini- clini cal point ot of view w was s far lar tr from m being as satisfactory ry ryas as as' that of children i in continental United States |