FROM: Sturgess, Frances Coulter
TO:[log in to unmask]
SUBJECT: arly helms/uncontrolled field experiment
DATE: 11-21-96   19:48 EST
PRIORITY:


Who is Arly Helms (I hope i got this right) ?  I saw a similar quotation
attributed to a Frank Oski in a "remarks" article submitted to Peds.vol.88, no
5 Nov 1991 --Brief History ofInfant Nutrition and VIew to the Future--award
acceptance speech by Dr. Lewis Barness/u. wisc/coll. med.

Can someone tell me the correct etiology/attribution/whatever?

"Infant nutrition covers that period oflife traditionally devoted to nursing,
preferably atthe breast.  The history of the science of infant nutrition is
relatively short, perhpas less than 150 years.  Frank Oski has critized infant
feeding practices as the longest-lasting uncontrolled experiment lacking
informed consent in the history of medicin.  Indeed, until recently, most of
the changes in infant feeding practices were based on empiricism.  If a child
lived and grew, that feeeding was considered successful.  This then became
accepted as standard until a new idea was tried, and if a few babies survived,
the new fad became the sstandard.  Perhaps logivally there could have been no
other method for infant feeding practices to have evolved.  Analytical
chemistry is less than 200 years old and chemical methods applicable to
nutrition, even newer.

etc etc---discusses more historical stuff/results/advertising(harm of) and
humility--good speech, and I use a copy of it at fairs, for provider ed, etc
but it would be nice to know WHO said the "uncontrolled /lack of consent
experiiment"