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To the Editor:—In the April, 1960, issue of the Journal (pages 437-443) Cranny, Kirschvink, and Kelley report results re the half-life of hydrocortisone in newborn infants which are at variance with our own published data as cited. The disposition of this steroid was much prolonged in our studies, whereas with smaller doses there resulted a disappearance similar to that of adults in this recent publication.
Employing very large doses of the steroid in adults (8 mg/kg.) we found no prolongation of half-life. This matter has been made clear by Peterson et al. (J. Clin. Invest. 34:1779, 1955). If, therefore, comparably larger doses in infants produce a prolonged half-life not induced by a similar magnitude in adults, there clearly is a difference. Hence we argue that the authors err in their reasoning by seeking a minimal dose which will produce similar results in the two age groups. A deliberate effort