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deBriefings COT DEATH (SIDS): WHAT CAUSES IT, More than 300 cot deaths occurred in New Zealand during the AND HOW TO PREVENT IT years 1995 to 1998 inclusive, but there has been no reported cot by Dr Jim Sprott © 1999 death among the tens of thousands of babies who have slept on . . . mattresses wrapped to the Cot Life 2000 specifications. Toxic mattresses linked to cot death (crib death, or SIDS) The New Zealand cot death rate has fallen markedly since mat- ccording to a number of published studies, cot death tress-wrapping commenced in late 1994. From 1994 to 1997, the Aw infant death syndrome, or SIDS) is caused by nationwide rate fell from 2.1/1000 live births to 1.4/1000, i.e., a poisoning by extremely toxic nerve gases: phosphines, reduction of 33 per cent. The reduction in the Pakeha arsines and stibines. (European) cot death rate was dramatic: approximately 65 per These gases are produced in a baby's cot (or any other bed cent. where a baby sleeps) by the action of common household fungi , These major reductions in cot death cannot be attributed to the such as Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, on compounds of phospho- cot death prevention advice publicised by the New Zealand rus, arsenic and antimony present in the mattress and in certain Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Cot Death Association. other underbedding, e.g., sheepskins. Between 1992 and 1997 there was no material change in that Compounds of the elements phosphorus, arsenic and antimony advice. are very frequently present in bedding. In some instances they Sales information relating to BabeSafe mattress covers shows are added as part of the manufacturing process (e.g., for fire- that tens of thousands of New Zealand babies have slept safely retardant or plasticising purposes). In other instances they occur on wrapped mattresses, and also that mattress-wrapping has been naturally (e.g., in sheepskins, kapok and tree bark). enthusiastically adopted by Pakeha parents. The Ministry of Phosphines are produced from compounds of phosphorus; Health has confirmed that mattress-wrapping is more prevalent arsines from compounds of arsenic; and stibines from com- among the Pakeha community than among other ethnic groups. pounds of antimony. These gases shut down the central nervous There is an urgent need for New Zealand babycare profession- system, resulting in cessation of heart and breathing function, als to stress mattress-wrapping advice to the Maori community. and thereby causing cot death. Although the incidence of Maori cot death has fallen since mat- Babies can be protected from this gaseous poisoning by tress-wrapping began, it is still high (3.5/1000). Whereas in the enclosing such bedding in a protective cover, e.g., polythene early 1990s the Maori cot death rate was about four times the wrapping or a BabeSafe slip-on mattress cover. Provided the Pakeha rate, it is now seven times the Pakeha rate. This, of mattress is correctly wrapped, bedsharing does not cause cot course, reflects the marked decrease in Pakeha cot deaths since death. mattress-wrapping commenced. Face-up sleeping is only a partially preventive measure against Over the past four years, a considerable body of research has cot death, as many babies have died sleeping face up on been reported which supports the toxic gas theory for cot death unwrapped mattresses. The danger of cot death increases when (on which mattress-wrapping is based). an unwrapped mattress is re-used from one baby to the next. Contrary to media publicity, the 1998 UK Limerick Report did not disprove the toxic gas theory—a fact which has been con- Analysis of baby bedding on the New Zealand market firmed in the New Zealand Medical Journal. In fact, the In 1996, a wide selection of items of baby bedding on the New _ Limerick Committee's experiments proved the gas generation on Zealand market was analysed for the presence of phosphorus, which the toxic gas theory for cot death is based. arsenic and antimony by Rooney Laboratories Ltd of Parents, however, are more interested in the practical proof: Basingstoke, England. Analysis showed that all three elements no reported cot death on a correctly wrapped mattress. were present, phosphorus being especially prevalent. Sheepskins From 1995 to 1998 inclusive, over 300 cot deaths occurred in were shown to contain all three elements. Results of the analysis New Zealand. However, there has been no reported cot death on are shown in table 1. a BabeSafe mattress or mattress cover, or on a mattress correctly Many New Zealand sheepskins contain significant quantities wrapped in polythene sheeting. of arsenic. Sheepskins have been shown by analysis to contain far more arsenic than is necessary to poison a baby by arsine gas___ Research published on the toxic gas theory of cot death generation via the action of common household fungi. * Publication of the toxic gas theory: The fungal generation of arsines has been known for over a The toxic gas theory for cot death was published by British hundred years. This gas generation caused the deaths of thou- scientist Barry Richardson in 1994. See: "Sudden Infant Death sands of children in Europe in the 1800s, until its cause was dis- Syndrome: a possible primary cause", Journal of the Forensic covered by the Italian chemist Gosio in 1893. Science Society 34(3):199-204 (1994). A large proportion of cot deaths in New Zealand occur on * Publication of proof of the gas generation involved: sheepskins. Babies should never be put down to sleep on unpro- The fungal generation of extremely toxic nerve gases from tected sheepskins. compounds of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony has been demonstrated many times over the last century. Recent confir- Success of mattress-wrapping and BabeSafe products mations include: "Toxic gas generation from plastic mattresses Mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention, which has been and sudden infant death syndrome", Lancet 346:1516-20 (1995); publicised in New Zealand for over four years, has had a 100 per "Confirmation of the Biomethylation of Antimony Compounds", cent success rate. Applied Organometallic Chemistry 11:471-483 (1997). COT DEATH (SIDS): WHAT CAUSES IT, AND HOW TO PREVENT IT by Dr Jim Sprott © 1999 14 = NEXUS OCTOBER —- NOVEMBER 1999