The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-11-20
yITAMTN A AND THE CRI

SVlTAMlN A AND THE CHI
Up to 1913 vitamin A was not
distinguished from the fat-soluble
vitamin known as vitamin d. Prof.
E.. ". McCollum was the first to
designate this separate fat-Soluble
factor as A. Recognition Of more
than one fat-soluble factor made
most Of the experimental work that
had been done prior to 1918 invalid,
but differences made from early ex-
periments still confuse thought and
practice.
It was scientifically observed that
vitamin A deficiency in animals
causes a change in the character
of the epithelium or surface cover
ing Of mucous membranes, eSpe-
cially atrophy and loss Of or failure
to develop the normal, soft epthel-
ium Of healthy mucous membrane
and formation instead of stratified
keratinizing epitheliurn, which
makes the mucous membrane COM
paratively dry, sensitive, irritable
and more vulnerable to bacterial
invasion.
From this observation it is fair
to infer that an individual who
gets too little vitamin A is more
likely to catch the cri, if you know
what I mean, than the same in
dividual would be if he were to
take an adequate or optimal daily
ration of vitamin A. On a similar
basis an individual with scratches
or abrasionS or trifling cuts or
cracks in the skin is more likely to
catch lockjaw (tetanuS), tularemia
rabbit fever) or septicemia (acute
blood poisoning) than the same in
dividual would be if his or her skin
were soft, smooth and whole. In
other words a healthy mucous
membrane, particularly normal
epithelial surface covering of the
mucous membrane lining the res!
piratory tract, is the first line of
defense against cri.
How much yitamin A an individ-
ual requires daily to keep the mu-
couS membrane in healthy func-
tional condition. and incidently the
skin, the teeth and the eyes, nutri-
ton authorities seem to hesitate to
say. Perhaps not less than 10000
international units daily for an
adult and from $4,000 to $4,000 units
daily for a growing child would be
an optimal daily ration. A quart
of milk yields about $500 to 5000
units of vitamin A, depending on
the feed or pasturage. Butter, egg
yolk, cream, liver, cheese, carrots,
dandelion greens. beet greens, es-
carole (chicory greens or endives),
dried peaches, fresh green peas,
dried prunes, spinach, Hubbard
squash, banana, fresh or canned to-
mato and tomato juice, orange or
orange Juice, sweet potato, turnip
green's, parsley, green peppers, broc-
coli, string beans, fresh or dried
apricots and asparagus are other
foods yielding considerable citamin
A.
1t is essential to under stand that
there is more vitamin A in ordinary
helpings of the foods mentioned
than there is in this and that nos
trun which purports to be good for
you because 1t contains vitamin
A."
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Food and Endurance
If person took some pure dex-
trose before dong hard manual
work would it increase his endur-
ance? Oh. -
Answer-Any food would increase
endurance as much as dextrose or
ordinary cane or beet sugar or glu-
cose or syrup or fruit juice.
GallStOnes
Is 1t possible to get rid of gall
stones without an operation?
(MrS. J. q
AnSwer-No.
Hair RestOrer
So you don't believe your own fol-
lowers when they tell you that iodin
and vitamin B complex restores
natural color to gray hair? Well.
can testify that it does, it has
brought back the natural color to
my gray hair, and / know several
others who have had the same ex-
perience. (Mrs. j. L.
Answer only say I don't know.