1. First, cot death research has been a source of funding for medical researchers. In Britain it continues to be so (although not in New Zealand, where research funding has nearly ground to a halt as people have become aware that mattress-wrapping is easy, cheap and 100% successful in preventing cot death).
   
   
2. The toxic gas theory has been publicised since 1989 (first in Britain), but it has been vigorously denied by researchers and organisations responsible for advising parents. In the intervening period, many thousands of babies have died of cot death. But the New Zealand experience shows that those deaths were avoidable – and that raises the prospect of legal liability for babies' deaths.
   

Some researchers have stated that cot death may have a number of causes (the so-called "multifactorial" theory). Not so, says Dr Sprott. At this point he draws attention to a highly significant piece of information about cot death, which is demonstrated by British statistics: the cot death rate rises from the first baby in a family to the second, and from the second baby to the third, and so on. Babies of solo parents have a very high cot death rate. Dr Sprott explains that the rising rate of cot death from one sibling to the next destroys every medical and physiological theory for the cause of cot death.

For example, some researchers think cot death is caused by babies re-breathing their exhaled carbon dioxide. However, all babies exhale a similar amount of CO2, regardless of whether they are first, second or later babies. Therefore, the rising rate of cot death from one sibling to the next refutes the CO2 theory.

Some researchers think cot death is related to the size of babies' airways. However, for this theory to be valid would require second babies' airways to be smaller than those of first babies; and third babies' airways to be smaller than those of second babies; and so on. Clearly, therefore, the airways theory is wrong, because the size of babies' airways is not related to birth order.

So what is the explanation for the rising rate of cot death from one sibling to the next? Cot death is caused by gases generated in mattresses – and most parents re-use mattresses from one baby to the next. If a mattress contains any of the chemicals concerned and fungi have become established in the mattress during previous use by another baby, generation of toxic gas commences sooner and in greater volume when the mattress is re-used. This accounts for the rising rate of cot death from one sibling to the next. It also accounts for the very high cot death rate among babies of solo parents, who for economic reasons are more likely to sleep their babies on previously used mattresses which they have acquired secondhand.

It all fits from a theoretical point of view, says Dr Sprott – and the seven-year New Zealand experience provides practical proof that mattress-wrapping prevents cot death.

Orthodox cot death researchers say that cot death rates have fallen without the introduction

of mattress-wrapping – and they have. But Dr Sprott points out a crucial difference: Many babies have died of cot death where parents followed orthodox cot death prevention advice; but there has been no reported cot death on a correctly wrapped mattress. Unlike orthodox advice, mattress-wrapping has a 100% success record in cot death prevention. Important note: Mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention must be carried out in accordance with a strict protocol. For full information, contact Dr Sprott by e-mail or visit the following website: http://www.cotlife2000.co.nz