Since the late 1950's New Zealand has had one of the highest, if not the highest incidence of unexplained infant deaths in the World. New Zealand has experienced death rates approaching one for every 100 live births, especially during the Winter months on the South Island.  The native Maori population's death has even gone higher. As early as 1986 campaigns to protect babies from chemicals has yielded positive results in lowering the death rate. The results of a questionnaire compiled in 1989 by a New Zealand pediatrician showed the stomach position appeared to be the most important factor accounting for 73% of all crib deaths. At the time of the questionnaire the fact that the majority of babies could roll onto their tummies by the age of 5 months during sleep was not likely taken into consideration.  Nevertheless, the campaign that followed to have mother's place their babies on their backs has decreased the death rate for unexplained reasons.   

   In spite of the fact that much of the data supporting the recommendation for placing a baby in the back position for sleep dramatically reduced the risk of dying from cot (crib) death, an unusual event occurred unexpectedly in New Zealand. After an initial decline in the death rate, in the Caucasian as well as non-Caucasian groups, the latter group began to show an increase. In particular, the  Maori population, as they are known, began to experience death rates equal to, and in some cases, greater than those occurring before the Back to Sleep protocol was instituted. Either the babies within this group preferred sleeping on their tummies or another factor was possibly present.   Recently  scientific studies have confirmed the gas of antimony can be generated by mildew present in sheepskins.  This also explain why Maori babies continue to have an exceptionally high death rate. The Maoris have a custom of placing infants on sheepskins.  Is it possible the entire answer to the current dilemma can be found within the Maori deaths and customs?