A bleeding syndrome due to severe prothrombin complex deficiency is reported in 93 infants. Most were breast fed (98 per cent), aged 2 weeks to 1 year and there were no serious preceding or associated diseases. Hemorrhagic diathesis, pallor and mild hepatomegaly were the major manifestations. The incidence of intracr anial bleeding was strikingly high (63 per cent) particularly with subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Acute onset, short course and rapid clinical and laboratory improvement after vitamin K therapy were observed. Mortality rate was 35 per cent but has been reduced to 17 per cent since 1969. The location of bleeding, prompt diagnosis and early treatment are the major factors affecting prognosis. Severe prothrombin complex deficiency due to vitamin K deficiency accounted for the pathogenesis of bleeding. Possible causes of vitamin K deficiency were discussed but definite conclusions could not be drawn.

A fibrinogen fraction separated from fresh frozen plasma by slow thawing at 2 C con-Factor VIII activity. The administration of t h i a material to six patients with hemophilia A resulted in partial to canplete coffcetion of their clotting defect. Clinical hanoetasis was d a t e d with th-Musiona Normal or higher than normal levels of Factor VIII were obwrved in one patient given this material in connection with surgery. Side effects did not occur during or after the adminisea. tion of the fraction. The preparation of thii material is simple and can be carried out as a routine procedure in blood banb processing large amounts of fresh frozen plasma.

✓ The authors report eight infants who had acute intracranial bleeding after the third week of life, in the absence of known trauma. When first seen each was moribund, pale, and had a tense anterior fontanel; half of the cases had associated ecchymoses. Spinal and subdural taps yielded large amounts of bloody fluid. Coagulation studies indicated a severe lack of factors involved in prothrombin complex formation. The clotting indices were sufficiently low to account for spontaneous bleeding. Satisfactory clinical and laboratory results were demonstrated after subdural and spinal taps combined with intravenous vitamin K and fresh blood transfusion to correct the coagulation defect and anemia.