Another Mess To Clean Up

China's milk scandal: The baby who couldn't grow

SHIJIAZHUANG, CHINA–In the late afternoon light outside this city's Children's Hospital, grandmother Guo Xiuxia cradles her 10-month-old grandson in her arms and holds him close.

Lang Zitong, a beautiful bright-eyed boy who weighs just 15 pounds is one of the lucky ones. Like thousands of children caught up in China's toxic baby formula scandal, he too has been diagnosed with potentially lethal kidney stones – but doctors say he's expected to survive.

"He has stones in both kidneys," said grandfather Lang Shujing, clutching a computerized printout from an ultrasound examination. "But they say the stones are small and it's not too serious. He should be fine."

Others might not be.

China's health minister revealed yesterday that more than 6,250 infants are now carrying kidney stones after drinking Chinese baby formula laced with melamine – a chemical used in plastics and glue. Nearly 160 of those are suffering "acute kidney failure."

The minister, Chen Zhu, also announced the scandal's third death, giving few details.

Early today, authorities arrested 12 more people in connection with the scandal, said Shi Guizhong, spokesperson for the Hebei provincial police. The official said that brought the overall total detained to 18.

Police also confiscated nearly 225 kilos of melamine, the industrial chemical added to milk powder that has ignited a widening food safety crisis.

In a clear signal of high-level concern, Premier Wen Jiabao convened a cabinet meeting to discuss plans for a nationwide inspection of all milk products. Before the day was done, four more dairy companies including China's largest, Mengniu, and Olympic sponsor Yili, announced recalls bringing the number of companies issuing recalls to five.

Government tests of baby formula have confirmed 22 companies used melamine – 20 per cent of all companies in China producing formula – so further recalls may be expected.

China appears to fear the worst.

Here in this company town about 300 kilometres south of Beijing – a town that is headquarters to the Sanlu Group, a dairy firm that has publicly confessed its guilt – there was turmoil yesterday.

Sanlu offices were swamped with grim-faced parents lugging in boxes of unused Sanlu formula in search of refunds, as well as advice on what to do with their children.

Hundreds of parents packed into the company's main courtyard beneath a towering sign that read: "Manufacture Quality Dairy: Serve the People."

Across town hospital hallways were clogged with parents who had come to have their infants tested for kidney problems.

Shijiazhuang has been rocked by the scandal: the mayor and deputy mayor have been fired, as have two quality supervisors, the local head of the central government's quality inspection office – and Sanlu's chair of the board, Tian Wenhua.

Last night state news agency Xinhua said police had taken Tian into custody.

But the problems of the parents were far more acute.

Little Lang Zitong's grandparents and his mother, Yin Guichun, said they were worried sick when they heard about Sanlu's tainted baby formula. The 10-month-old had been drinking it every day.

"It's because of this milk powder that our children have suffered so much," grandfather Lang Shujing complained.

"He often cries – sometimes deep into the night."

With more brands being dragged into the scandal and recalls clearing the shelves, the family's key concern now is what do they feed him?

"We had just bought several bags of Yili formula," the boy's grandmother explained. "And now we learn Yili also has a problem.

"He's such a small baby," she said. "What kinds of food is he supposed to eat?"

A doctor's note says the infant isn't to have any formula at all – only water, and perhaps soybean drink.

Two days of tests for Zitong have cost more than 200 yuan (about $31.25), they say, a sizeable sum in China.

"He has only had Sanlu since he was born," his mother said. "I think Sanlu should pay for our medical expenses," she reasoned.

On the other side of town in front of Sanlu's headquarters, 25-year-old mother Qin Chunyan said that from the moment she learned about the contamination on the Internet, she was worried about her 6-month-old son, Zhou Qingxi.

"I was really very afraid," she said. "How couldn't I be? He had been drinking it for four months."

Nearby, Zhao Xiaopu, 27, held her sleeping 3-month-old son Li Hangda in her arms.

"It seems all the formulas have a problem now," she said. "My only hope is that the government can tell us which brand is problem free – and safe to drink. I want my baby boy to have safe baby formula."


Toronto Star