A Guide to the Vitamins

Throughout the history of mankind from primitive man to the present time, vitamin ddiciencies have been a major cause of death and disease. Pellagra, scurvy and beri-beri have decimated armies, ships' crews and even nations (Figure I). As late as 1925 the disease 'pernicious' anaemia caused by the ab­ sence of vitamin Bl2 within a person's body really lived up to its name. Although there were isolated instances of recognition of dietary deficien­ cies even a thousand years ago, the importance of