Concentration ofelectrolytes inthesweatof malnourished children

The sweattestwas performedby the methodof Gibsonand Cookeon 36 children withsecondandthirddegree malnutrition, agedfrom2 monthsto4 years.The results werecomparedwith thosefrom32 healthy, wellnourished controlsin the same age range. Determinations weremadeofsodiumand chloride concentrations, chloride/sodium ratio, andthesumoftheconcentrations of thetwoelectrolytes ineachsample. Themalnourished children werefound tohavehigher sodiumandchloride con- centrations thanthewellnourished ones. None ofthenormalor malnourished children had a sweatchloride value greater than60mmol/l; chloride values within asuspicious range(between 40and