Dr Jim Sprott

• Look at Cots to Isolate Possible Cause of SIDS - September 1995 - Cot death has caused the deaths of about a million babies worldwide over the past 40 years. It occurs mainly in western Europe, North America and Australasia. It is the result of inadvertent environmental pollution and is the greatest such disaster of this century.
• Arsenic in Sheepskins a Major Cause of Cot Death - 1996 - At least 50% of all cot deaths in New Zealand occur when babies are sleeping on sheepskins.
• The Cot Death Cover-Up? - Dr Sprott's 1996 book reviewed.
• Why You Shouldn't Support Red Nose Day - August 1997 - Red Nose Day represents the questionable side of medical research: the pouring of public money into unnecessary and pointless projects.
• Avoiding Cot Death: Recommended Method - August 1997 - The risk of cot death can be virtually eliminated by ensuring that babies sleep on mattresses known to be free from the elements phosphorus, arsenic and antimony.
• Success of Mattress-Wrapping - October 1997 - The New Zealand cot death rate has dropped markedly, especially among pakeha (non-Maori) families, since the mattress-wrapping campaign began in 1994.

About Dr Sprott

Academic: Doctor of Philosophy (chemistry), Auckland University
Scholarships: National Research Fellow, Rotary Scholar, Auckland Manufacturers' Society Scholar
Professional: Member, New Zealand Institute of Chemistry 1947-86; Fellow, New Zealand Institute of Chemistry 1986
Honour: Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to forensic science and the community, 1995
Consular: New Zealand's first Honorary Consul for Canada in Auckland 1983-86
Occupation: Worked as an analytical chemist until establishing his own laboratory, T.J. Sprott and Associates, in 1972. Had also held a number of company directorships, including Carter Consolidated Ltd and Northern Pulp.

Dr T. James (Jim) Sprott, OBE, Msc, PhD, FNZIC
Consulting Chemist, Forensic Scientist
10 Combes Road
Remuera, Auckland 5
New Zealand
Phone/fax: 64-9-523-1150
Email: sprott@iconz.co.nz
URL: www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/sprott