The existence of physical anomalies in mongolism is well known, but the existence of "chemical anomalies" in this condition is not so widely recognized. Stern and Lewis1 and Sobel et al.2 have demonstrated a significantly elevated serum level of gamma globulin and a decrease in albumin in a limited number of mongoloid children. Simon et al.3 have reported lipoprotein abnormalities in children but not in adults with mongolism.
The purpose of our study has been to investigate serum protein and lipoprotein fractions in mongolism in a wide age spectrum, from infancy to old age, in adequate numbers in various age groups, in both sexes, and with control of as many environmental factors as possible.
Material and Methods
The Sonoma State Hospital has 3,700 beds for mentally retarded patients ranging in age from 1 month to over 80 years, with intellectual levels ranging from profound mental deficiency to