Cot deaths

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33251, 14 June 1973, Page 16

Cot deaths

Sir,—Let us not too hastily discount the claim of the Sydney specialist, Dr Mulvey,

that a possible cause of cot deaths is allergy to anaphylactic shock from house dust mites found in sheepskin rugs. Mr Higgins (Wool Board) considers that blankets, carpets, etc., should be equally suspect — but a baby’s face is in closer contact with the rug on which it sleeps. Mr Roberts (Wool Research Organisation), suggests 20,000 sheepskin rugs have been sold for baby use — but many of these treated rugs are bought for invalids. New Zealand’s statistics for 1970, Mr Roberts says, are one death out of 600 babies born. According to “The Press” (July 3, 1972), one out of every 330 born in the United States dies a cot death. He claims that sheepskin rugs were involved in only two cases reported since 1970. Last year cot death claimed a grandchild of ours. She had always slept on a sheepskin rug. This case was not one of those referred to by Mr Roberts.—Yours, etc., JOYCE S. HART. June 9, 1973.