Physiology of Prematurity

This is the fourth of a series of yearly conferences on the physiology of prematurity, which are attended by 25 invited persons of varied disciplines. These bring their different approaches to bear in the discussions which center about an informally presented topic on a given day in which one or two of the guests are featured. This conference was built around three topics: heat regulation (presented by Dr. S. Z. Levine and Dr. E. F. Adolph); hypothermia and asphyxia of the newborn (presented by Dr. James A. Miller, Jr.); and chemical structure, functional integration and renal regulation as factors in the physiology of the newborn (presented by Dr. Elsie M. Widdowson). As in the past, with but one outstanding example, the topics have been both timely and pressing (the one example of a topic that "never should have been" was in the third (1958) conference in which a presentation of experience with glucuronic acid in treatment of bilirubinemia was presented). Each topic in the present conference was well presented and explored by the featured speakers as usual. Furthermore, this reviewer was almost equally excited by each presentation, so that it would be difficult to pick any one as more stellar than another. Dr. Frank Fremont-Smith introduces this conference with a defense of the format. He states that these "provide an opportunity for informal give and take among the participants" and comments also that "considerable interest and some criticism" has been aroused by the style of publication of "editorial permissiveness." It is our feeling that the adverse criticism toward these issues are justifiably directed not toward the free associations of the participants but toward the religious stenographic recording of these free associations which to the reader who has not attended the conference suggests that these conferences are carried out in a state of chaos and nearanarchy. Like its preceding conference one can ferret out the wealth of information and perspective to be found here only with diligent effort, by ignoring innumerable interruptions, and by maintaining a constant rigidity of purpose. One is seized with desire to snatch up a pencil and wield a heavy editorial hand and add some much needed paragraphs of summation as well. Despite the above criticism which results in a less readable text, this is a valuable and desirable addition to anyone's library on the newborn and prematurely born infant. LOUIS GLUCK