Gaseous Metabolism in Newly Born Human Infants

Abstract

In 1958, Cross, Tizard, and Trythall¹reported that the oxygen consumption of both term and premature infants fell when they breathed 15% oxygen instead of room air (20.9% oxygen). This was a surprising finding since under similar circumstances metabolism does not fall in adults.* A possible mechanism explaining the better survival of the newborn than the adult to hypoxia was suggested from these data if one assumed that gaseous metabolism actually fell below basal levels when breathing 15% oxygen. Subsequent to the infant studies, Dr. June Hill more clearly defined the metabolic response to moderate hypoxia and its relationship to the environmental temperature.⁴She demonstrated that a fall in oxygen consumption (in newly born kittens and adult guinea pigs) when breathing 10%-15% oxygen occurred only when the animals were at environmental temperatures below the neutral zone. The neutral temperature zone (or, as it is also known, the zone