A new, simple and rapid colorimetric micromethod for determination of total lipids in the petroleum ether extract of feces is proposed. The method, based on the sulfophosphovanillin reaction, was found to be of satisfactory precision and accuracy. 2. The concentration of total lipids determined in meconium of 40 healthy newborns in the first five days of life, was 1 to 15 g/100 ml of feces.