1 Children's Hospital of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.
The information in Dr. Catzel's letter is most interesting. It supports my impression that there are at least two types of pica which are recognizable syndromes. One group is found in rural areas, or at least in residences where earth is available. The children tend to have severe anemia and are cured of geophagy by treatment for the anemia. I am becoming most curious about the underlying psychologic or environmental reasons which cause the excessive consumption of milk in these children in the first place.