ASSESSMENT FROM PLASMA AMINO ACID IMBALANCE. BY

Children living on a poor diet and showing no clinical signs of protein deficiency may never theless have an imbalance of certain amino acids in their plasma (Whitehead, 1964; Whitehead and Dean, 1964). A small pilot survey has been undertaken in which the relative concentrations of these amino acids have been investigated in serum samples taken from children at schools either near Salisbury or in a rather remote country area, in order to obtain some idea of their nutritional status. M ethods Serum samples collected by the Department of Physiology (for other purposes) from children aged 8-10 years from schools at Epworth, nea