1 Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 1740 Bainbridge Street, Philadelphia 46, Pennsylvania
While respecting Dr. McKay's wisdom and judgment, I feel obliged to take issue with certain of the concepts he seems to champion in his article "Current Status of Exchange Transfusion in Newborn Infants" (Pediatrics, 33:763, 1964). I was pleased to read the Journal's "Introductory Note" carefully pointing out that such articles, while usually contributed by a member of the Editorial Board, reflect the author's own practice.
First, I cannot agree with Dr. McKay that it is currently possible to identify which infant with idiopathic hyperbilirubinemia and a serum bilirubin concentration of 18 mg/100 ml if premature, or 20 mg/100 ml if full term, is, and which is not, at risk as far as concerns kernicterus.