THE postnatal development of the sweating mechanism is still
incompletely understood. The basis for the presumed delay in the
onset of sweating in full-term neonates is as puzzling as the
reason why prematurely born infants are unable to sweat for some
time after birth. Neonatal sweating deficiency is cited as an
example of functional immaturity, but the state of the
development of the component parts of this mechanism—sweat
glands, peripheral neural pathways, and automic centers—is
unknown. With few exceptions, the available data on neonatal
sweating concern thermal reflex sweating, which depends upon the
functional status of the glands proper and on the competence of
the nervous elements comprising the reflex arc. Recent studies
have provided evidence, direct1 and indirect,2 of the mature
neonate's ability to sweat naturally on the first day of life,
earlier than was generally believed.3 On the other hand, thermal
sweating is a unique