THE CAUSE OF COT DEATH AND HOW TO PREVENT IT.
T J Sprott OBE 10 Combes Road
MSc PhD FNZIC Remuera
Consulting Chemist Auckland 5
Forensic Scientist NEW ZEALAND
Phone & Fax
64-9-5231150
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
THE CAUSE OF COT DEATH AND
HOW TO PREVENT IT
* * * * * * *
Many British parents will be unaware of a 100%
successful cot
death prevention campaign which a New Zealand
scientist, Dr Jim
Sprott, has been running in New Zealand for over five
years.
Dr Sprott states with certainty that the cause of cot
death has
been discovered: it is caused by very toxic nerve
gases which can
be generated from mattresses and certain other bedding
used in
babies' cots.
The solution is to prevent exposure of babies to the
gases, by
wrapping mattresses in accordance with a specified
protocol and
ensuring that bedding used on top of a wrapped
mattresses does not
contain any phosphorus, arsenic or antimony (the
chemicals which -
when combined with fungal growth - can result in the
gas generation
concerned).
And the method works. Since late 1994
mattress-wrapping has been
publicised nationwide in New Zealand, and many tens of
thousands of
parents have wrapped their babies' mattresses. Prior
to the
commencement of mattress-wrapping, New Zealand had the
highest cot
death rate in the world (2.1 deaths per 1000 live
births).
Following the adoption of mattress-wrapping the New
Zealand cot
death rate has fallen by over 50% - and there has been
no reported cot
death among those babies who have slept on correctly
wrapped
mattresses. The cot death rate among non-Maori parents
has fallen even
further, by an estimated 70%. It is much easier to
convey new ideas of
this
type to Pakeha (non-Maori) people. The NZ Minister of
Health stated
about 2
years ago; "We know that it's Pakeha who are
mattress-wrapping".
This major reduction in the New Zealand cot death rate
cannot be
attributed to orthodox cot death prevention advice
(e.g. face-up
sleeping). There has been no material change in that
advice in New
Zealand since 1992.
So what does Dr Sprott say about orthodox cot death
advice?
* Don't smoke around your baby.
Recent history refutes any suggestion that smoking
causes cot
death, says Dr Sprott. Smoking was very common in
Britain in
the 1930s and 1940s, but cot death was virtually
non-existent.
Smoking is prevalent in present-day Russia and Japan,
but the
cot death rates are low. No cause-and-effect
relationship
between smoking and cot death has been established -
they are
socio-economic parallels. Put another way, smoking is
more
common among poorer people, and so is cot death. But
it does not
follow that smoking is therefore a cot death risk
factor.
* Don't bedshare with your baby if you also smoke or
smoked
during pregnancy.
Misleading advice, says Dr Sprott. The risk posed by
bedsharing does not arise from smoking - it arises
from the
mattress. Adults' mattresses very frequently contain
the same
chemical and fungi as babies' mattresses, and
therefore they
can generate the same toxic gas/es. (For physiological
reasons
adults are not put at risk by this gas generation in
mattresses.)
* Sleep your baby with feet to the foot of the cot.
According to Dr Sprott, this practice affords no
protection
whatsoever against cot death. Any area on an unwrapped
mattress
where a baby sleeps is a potential source of toxic
gas, since
that is the area which becomes warm and moist
(promoting the
fungal activity which can cause gas generation).
* Sleep your baby face up.
Face-up sleeping is a partial preventive against cot
death. This
is because the gases which cause cot death are more
dense than
air. They diffuse away towards the floor, and
therefore a baby
sleeping face up is less likely to inhale them.
So the partial success of face-up sleeping confirms
the toxic gas
theory. And so does much more research. According to
Dr Sprott
(who has a PhD in chemistry and is expert in the gas
generation
concerned), every step in the toxic gas theory for cot
death has
been proved. A considerable amount of this research
has been
written up and published in peer-reviewed medical and
other
scientific journals. In fact, mattress-wrapping for
cot death
prevention is supported by wider research than
supported the
introduction of various items of orthodox advice
(including face-up
sleeping). And contrary to claims by numerous orthodox
cot death
researchers, the 1998 UK Limerick Report did not
disprove the toxic
gas theory (as a New Zealand environmental scientist
has pointed out
in the New Zealand Medical Journal).
So why don't orthodox cot death researchers tell
parents to wrap
babies' mattresses? Dr Sprott suggests a variety of
possible
reasons:
* First, cot death research has been a big gravy train
for
medical researchers. In Britain it continues to be so
(although not in New Zealand, where research funding
has nearly
ground to a halt as people have become aware that
mattress-wrapping is easy, cheap and 100% successful
in
preventing cot death).
* The toxic gas theory has been publicised since 1989
(first in
Britain), but it has been hotly denied by researchers
and
organisations responsible for advising parents. In the
intervening period, many thousands of babies have died
of cot
death. But the New Zealand experience shows that those
deaths
were avoidable - and that raises the prospect of legal
liability for babies' deaths.
Some researchers have stated that cot death may have a
number of
causes (the multifactorial theory). Not so, says Dr
Sprott. At
this point he draws attention to a highly significant
piece of
information about cot death, which is demonstrated by
British
statistics: the cot death risk rises from the first
baby in a
family to the second, and from the second baby to the
third, and
so on. Babies of solo parents have a very high cot
death rate.
Dr Sprott explains that the rising rate of cot death
from one
sibling to the next destroys every medical and
physiological theory
for the cause of cot death.
* For example, some researchers think cot death is
caused by
babies re-breathing their exhaled carbon dioxide.
However, all
babies exhale a similar amount of CO2, regardless of
whether
they are first, second or later babies. Therefore, the
rising
rate of cot death from one sibling to the next refutes
the CO2
theory.
* Some researchers think cot death is related to the
size of
babies' airways. However, for this theory to be valid
would
require second babies' airways to be smaller than
those of first
babies; and third babies' airways to be smaller than
those of
second babies; and so on. Clearly, therefore, the
airways theory
is wrong, because the size of babies' airways is not
related to
birth order.
So what is the explanation for the rising rate of cot
death from one
sibling to the next? Cot death is caused by gases
generated in
mattresses - and most parents re-use mattresses from
one baby to the
next. If a mattress contains any of the chemicals
concerned and
fungi have become established in the mattress during
previous use by
another baby, generation of toxic gas commences sooner
and in
greater volume when the mattress is re-used.
This accounts for the rising rate of cot death from
one sibling to
the next. It also accounts for the very high cot death
rate among
babies of solo parents, who for economic reasons are
more likely to
sleep their babies on previously used mattresses which
they have
acquired secondhand.
It all fits from a theoretical point of view, says Dr
Sprott - and
the five-year New Zealand experience provides
practical proof that
mattress-wrapping prevents cot death.
Orthodox cot death researchers say that cot death
rates have
fallen without the introduction of mattress-wrapping -
and they
have. But Dr Sprott points out a crucial difference:
Many babies
have died of cot death where parents followed orthodox
cot death
prevention advice - but there has been no reported cot
death on a
correctly wrapped mattress. Unlike orthodox advice,
mattress-wrapping has a 100% success record in cot
death
prevention.
Please note: Mattress-wrapping must be carried out in
accordance
with a strict protocol. For full information, contact
Dr Sprott
by e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) or visit the following
website:
www.cotlife2000.co.nz
* * * * * * *
Research which confirms and supports the toxic gas
theory for cot
death:
PUBLICATION OF THE TOXIC GAS THEORY:
* The toxic gas theory for cot death was published
by British
scientist Barry Richardson in 1994: "Sudden
Infant Death
Syndrome: a possible primary cause", Journal of
the Forensic
Science Society 1994;34(3):199-204
PUBLICATION OF PROOF OF THE GAS GENERATION INVOLVED:
The fungal generation of extremely toxic nerve gases
from com-
pounds of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony has been
demonstrated
many times over the last century. Recent
confirmations are:
* "Toxic gas generation from plastic mattresses and
sudden
infant death syndrome", Lancet 1995;346:1516-20
* "Confirmation of the Biomethylation of Antimony
Compounds",
Applied Organometallic Chemistry 1997; Vol. 11,
471-483
PUBLICATION OF PROOF OF THE PRESENCE OF FUNGAL GROWTH
IN BABIES'
MATTRESSES:
* Barry Richardson, JFSS 1994;34(3):199-204
* Final Report of the Expert Group to Investigate
Cot Death
Theories: Toxic Gas Hypothesis (Limerick Report),
May 1998
PUBLICATION OF PROOF OF THE PRESENCE OF THE ELEMENTS
PHOSPHORUS,
ARSENIC AND ANTIMONY IN BABIES' BEDDING:
* Analyses of bedding reported by Jim Sprott in The
Cot Death
Cover-up? (Penguin, 1996)
PUBLICATION OF PROOF OF THE GENERATION OF HIGHLY TOXIC
GASES
FROM COMPOUNDS OF PHOSPHORUS, ARSENIC AND ANTIMONY IN
BABIES'
MATTRESSES AND OTHER BEDDING:
* Richardson, B A, "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome:
a possible primary cause", Journal of the
Forensic
Science Society 1994;34(3):199-204
* Cullen, W R, Microbial studies of sheepskin
bedding",
SIDS 2000 Conference, Auckland, February 2000
* Fitzpatrick M G, "The Evolution of Phosphine from
Cot
Mattress Materials", Department of Chemistry,
University
of Auckland, Final Report, December 1997
PUBLICATION OF PROOF THAT THE RE-USE OF MATTRESSES
INCREASES THE
RISK OF COT DEATH (A COROLLARY OF THE TOXIC GAS
THEORY):
* "Case-control study of sudden infant death
syndrome in
Scotland, 1992-5", British Medical Journal
1997;314:1516-20
PROOF THAT THE RISK OF COT DEATH RISES FROM FIRST TO
SECOND
BABIES; AND FROM SECOND TO THIRD BABIES; AND FROM
THIRD TO
FOURTH AND LATER BABIES; AND THAT BABIES OF SOLO
PARENTS ARE AT
HIGHER RISK AGAIN (A COROLLARY OF THE FACT THAT RE-USE
OF
MATTRESSES INCREASES THE RISK OF COT DEATH):
* Analysis of official British statistics
The finding of the rising risk of cot death from
one
sibling to the next refutes every proposition
that cot
death has a medical cause.
The more times an unwrapped mattress is used from
one baby
to the next, the greater is the risk of cot
death. This
accounts for the higher cot death rate among
poorer
families, who are more likely to sleep their
babies on
previously used mattresses.
If a mattress contains any of the elements
phosphorus,
arsenic or antimony, and if certain common
household
fungi have become established in the mattress
during
prior use, any generation of toxic gas commences
sooner
and in greater volume.
PUBLICATION OF PROOF THAT LATER BABIES IN A FAMILY ARE
MORE AT
RISK OF COT DEATH THAN FIRST BABIES (A COROLLARY OF
THE FACT
THAT RE-USE OF MATTRESSES INCREASES THE RISK OF COT
DEATH):
* "Risk factors of sudden infant death in Chinese
babies",
American Journal of Epidemiology 1997;144:1070-73
PUBLICATION OF PROOF THAT FACE-UP SLEEPING REDUCES THE
RISK OF
COT DEATH:
* All studies which show that face-up sleeping
reduces the
risk of cot death support the toxic gas theory.
Face-up
sleeping reduces the risk because the gases
concerned are
more dense than air; they diffuse away from a
baby's
mattress towards the floor, so a baby sleeping
face-up is
less likely to ingest them.
PUBLICATION OF PROOF THAT COT DEATH BABIES SHOW
PHYSIOLOGICAL
EFFECTS OF GASEOUS POISONING:
* "Decreased Kainate Receptor Binding in the
Arcuate Nucleus
of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome", Journal of
Neuro-
pathology and Experimental Neurology
1997;56:1253-61: proof
that cot death babies have neurochemical deficits
consis-
tent with poisoning by nerve gases
PUBLICATION OF PROOF THAT THE COT DEATH RISK VARIES
WITH MATTRESS
TYPE:
* New Zealand Cot Death Study (1987-1990)
PUBLICATION OF PROOF THAT THE COT DEATH RISK IN
BRITAIN IS LESS
ON PVC-COVERED MATTRESSES:
* CESDI study, reported in Lancet 1995;345:720
Any part of a baby's mattress which contains the
chemicals
phosphorus, arsenic and/or antimony is capable of
the gas
generation which causes cot death.
If, therefore, a mattress is covered with a
gas-impermeable
diaphragm which does not contain those chemicals,
the risk
of cot death is eliminated.
Accordingly, following removal of those chemicals
from UK
plastic-covered mattresses from 1989 onwards, the
risk of
cot death in Britain is less on PVC-covered
mattresses
(which are very frequently used in Britain).
Thus the finding by the CESDI study that babies
are less at
risk on PVC-covered mattresses supports the toxic
gas
theory for cot death.
BOOK REGARDING THE TOXIC GAS THEORY FOR COT DEATH:
* Jim Sprott, The Cot Death Cover-up? (Penguin,
1996).
* * * * * * *
MEDIA RELEASE:
T James Sprott OBE 10 Combes Road
MSc PhD FNZIC Remuera
Consulting chemist Auckland 5
Forensic scientist NEW ZEALAND
Phone & fax:
64-9-5231150
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
23 July 2001
MEDIA RELEASE
SPROTT: COT DEATHS OF MAORI TWINS
ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE
Dr Jim Sprott is calling on the Ministry of Health to
immediately endorse
mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention, following
the cot deaths last
week of twin babies in Lower Hutt.
The twin baby girls (aged two months) died of cot
death on the same day,
while both were sleeping on the same mattress in a
shared cot.
"These babies were poisoned by toxic gas generated in
their cot mattress or
bedding," said Dr Sprott. "That's why they both died,
on the same mattress,
within an hour of each other, even though they were
healthy babies. These
terribly sad deaths are further proof that cot death
is caused by gaseous
poisoning."
Following the twins' death, Dr Pat Tuohy, Chief
Advisor on Child Health at
the Ministry of Health, stated his opinion that the
twins could have been
subjected to an adverse environmental factor at the
same time.
"Dr Tuohy is quite correct," said Dr Sprott. "Cot
death is caused by
environmental poisoning."
Dr Sprott said that over recent years he had provided
Dr Tuohy with a
considerable body of research which confirms and
supports the toxic gas
explanation for cot death. Dr Tuohy was present at the
SIDS 2000 Conference
when a scientific expert reported proof of toxic gas
generation from
sheepskins used as baby bedding. "Dr Tuohy is aware of
the six year
nationwide mattress-wrapping campaign, and that there
has been no reported
cot death on a wrapped mattress," said Dr Sprott.
"So why won't Dr Tuohy advise parents to wrap
mattresses so that babies are
not exposed to the toxic gases which can be generated
in cots?"
Dr Sprott stated that the death of the twins was
entirely preventable.
Dr Sprott will be contacting a Wellington lawyer
regarding the possibility
of group legal action by cot death parents who were
not informed by babycare
advisers about mattress-wrapping. He said that
possible defendants included
the Ministry of Health, the Plunket Society, and the
National Child Health
Research Foundation (the parent body of the Cot Death
Association).
* * * * * * *
EVERY PARENT HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW!
We need to get mattress wrapping for cot death
prevention recognised in the
UK, All parents are entitled to know that something
can be done to protect
their babies from cot death. Something simple to
follow and inexpensive and
what's more - It Works!
Cot Life 2000 is saving babies from cot death, Please
- Help Spread the Word
about Cot Life 2000.
Many Thanks Julee Oakley
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
The Cot Life Society UK
http://www.geocities.com/cotlife/
28 January 2002
MEDIA RELEASE
SPROTT CONGRATULATES NELSON MATTRESS-WRAPPING
CAMPAIGNERS FOLLOWING CLOSURE
OF NELSON SIDS GROUP; MORE CLOSURES PREDICTED
Dr Jim Sprott is congratulating mattress-wrapping
campaigners in the Nelson
region for their efforts in cot death prevention,
following the announcement
that a cot death support group in Nelson has closed.
The SIDS Nelson support group, which has operated in
the Nelson region for
many years, announced its closure during the weekend,
citing the total
absence of cot deaths in the area.
Over the past five years there have been no cot deaths
in the group's area
of operation, whereas previously 7-9 deaths occurred
each year in that area.
"The total absence of cot deaths in the Nelson region
over the last five
years comes as no surprise whatsoever," said Dr Sprott
today.
"Mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention has been
very actively promoted
in the Nelson region, and mattress-wrapping products
have been on the retail
market for five years."
Dr Sprott singled out for special praise Nelson Public
Health & Child Health
Nurse, Helen Bracefield. "Ms Bracefield has
campaigned very actively for
mattress-wrapping in recent years," said Dr Sprott.
"She has made
information available to parents personally and
through the Golden Bay
Community Centre."
"In addition, midwives in the area have obtained from
myself and distributed
copies of a booklet which tells parents about the
success of
mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention and how to
wrap mattresses. Now
we see in Nelson the results of these efforts by
babycare professionals.
These advisers are all to be commended."
Dr Sprott said that well over 100,000 New Zealand
babies have now slept on
wrapped mattresses. There has been no reported cot
death - anywhere - on
any mattress wrapped in accordance with his
specifications for cot death
prevention.
Dr Sprott predicts that other closures of cot death
support groups will
follow the disbanding of the SIDS Nelson group.
"The work of cot death support groups in New Zealand
will soon be over," he
said. "Furthermore, I can confidently predict where
closures of support
groups will occur. The areas in New Zealand where
mattress-wrapping is very
widely practised are well documented."
* * * * * * *
Contact: T J Sprott
Phone/fax: 09-5231150
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
__________________________________________________
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