THE VITAMINS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20496, 15 March 1932, Page 7

THE VITAMINS.

PROGRESS OF RESEARCH. (fho_m our., own correspondent.) . LONDON. February 2. j ' Dr. Samson: "Wright, of the Middlesex Hospital, "Professor of Physiology in the University of London, -expects that important. discoveries relating to the nature of the vitamins will be made in the near future. \ "Progress is likely to be-rapid," said Dr. Wright."The structure of Vitamin D (anti-rickets) ' should be elucidated' in the "near future. ,A claim to have, analysed and determined the. chemical composition of one constituent of Vitamin B has been made by tw:o Dutch • workerSj and the position in regard to Vitamin A is also -hopeful. ; '' There is no reason to expect that the vitamins will necessarily have any very complex structure." It is; noteworthy that both the sex hormones anl the important gland secretions, thyroxine and adrenaline, have proved to be comparatively simple, substances. Such substances were expected to , be complicated only "because they* were at one time regarded as vague and-mys-terious. Nor is there any reason why more vitamins should not be discovered. The chief difficulty is the chance "discovery of a diet deficient in them and the observations of the resulting symptoms, which of course, would not be known in advance. '.'ln time the term vitamin will probably pass out of use. They are merely definite chemical substances in food, and should b& studied as such. The chief need at the moment is for knowledge, of the mechanißm by which particular vitamins act. We know, for example, that Vitamin D assists the absorption' of calcium and phosphorous through the usual channels, but concerning Vitamin B we have po. knowledge as to whether it is necessary to the proper 'working of the heart and nervous system, or whether its action is much more complex." From the point of view of national health, Dr. Wright advocated the raising of margarine to the dietetic level of first-class butter by the . addition of suitable quantities of Vitamins A and D. "From the energy point of*view, margarine is just as good as butter, but it is deficient in these two vitamins which are particuTarly important in the case of children, and of women before and after childbirth," he added. "I .see no-difficulty on tl|e score of cost. These vitamins are already easily obtained, and I have no doubt that the cost of production would be substantially lowered by production on a large scale. As ah indication of the small proportion which would be necessary, I may mention that one thousandth of a gram of Vitamin D is sufficient to preserve 40,000 rats from rickets or (probably) 40 human beings." Pure" Vitamin A. Better results in the combating of infection (writes the "Morning Post" correspondent) are likely to be obtained in consequence of the success, after six years' research, of Dr. I. M. Heilbron, Professor of Organic Chemistry at Liverpool University, in collaboration with Dr. B. A. Morton, also of Liverpool University, and Professor «7'. C. Drummond, of University College, London, in obtaining the first extract or distillation of pure Vitamin A. Professor Karrer, of Zurich University, working by a different method, has also been similarly successful. "I hope eventually it will be possible to synthesis? [Viternin A and build it

in the laboratory, and thus make it. available .to .the . medical } profession,'' said Professor medical profession will be able to "test its exaet - physiological properties. The. discovery will not make nruch difference to the _ general public, who can go oil. taking cod liver oil; but it may be found, that by using the concentrated form ■ of' Vitamin A bettor results are obtained." 1 -• - The ■ importance of Dr. - Heilbron'a discovery (writes the medical correspoit* dent of the "Morning .'PostM) .lies in the fact that it will now be possible to f achieve the exact effects of Vitamin - A in combating infection, . most, of this work has Been conducted f with'; cod liver oil and other fats which contain Vitamin A . and • > Vitamin,. *' B together. Concentrated Vitamin A-• -mightalso' prove useful to administer ,tQ patients in acute infectious, illnesses, provided that it-could bO'/gr?ej* with' • put harmful effects. , ■ . \ s -