A lecture on the relation of diet to health and disease : some recent investigations / by Edward Mellanby.

  • Mellanby, Edward, Sir, 1884-1955.
Date:
[1930?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A lecture on the relation of diet to health and disease : some recent investigations / by Edward Mellanby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Reprinted from the BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL, April 12th, 1930. ON THE RELATION OE DIET TO HEALTH AND DISEASE. SOME RECENT INVESTIGATIONS.* BY EDWARD MELLANBY, M.A., M.D.Camb., F.R.C.P., F.R.S., PROFESSOR OF PHARMACOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD. There is but little doubt that some of the most important contributions to medicine in the last few years have come through the study of dietetics and nutrition. Advances in knowledge of these subjects have affected, or ought to have affected, the health of all mankind. I propose, therefore, as one whose lot it has been to be intimately connected with investigations on this subject, to relate something of the work that has been carried out in recent years. The limited time at my disposal only allows of a cursory glance at a few of the problems, but nevertheless I propose to draw attention not only to points which, from a practical aspect, may be regarded as settled, but also to results which suggest that there are other pathological conditions in which it is probable that dietetics will be found to play a dominant part. What I want to do in this lecture is to give evidence which shows that diet, in addition to supplying material for growth and maintenance of the body and the necessary energy for the performance of its work, also contains two groups of substances—one which tends to produce patho¬ logical changes and ill health, and the other which helps the body to protect itself, not only against these toxic factors, but also against other disease-producing agents such as micro-organisms. * Given to the Kenya Branch of the British Medical Association at Nairobi, August 23rd, 1929. [190/301