The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-09

questions OF general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
identified chemically - such as
thiamine, ribofiavin, NICOTINE acid,
pyridoxine and pantothenic acid
and each plays its own role in nu-
triton. and each, if it is absent, al
lows Of different sort Of disease
condition to appesr-neuritis or
pellagra, or sore mouth as the case
may be.
We know that vitamin 3 is ABB
solutely necessary for life, and
adults as well as children need
some Of 1t every day. Also the
body cannot synthesize it, but
must have it supplied in the food.
In this it differs from some of
the other vitamins. Vitamin D is
necessary in young life, but adults
get along with very little. Also
the body can synthesize Nitamin
d from the action Of sunshine on
the skin. II you get some Vitamin
c every once in a while you do
all right, not necessarily all the
time.
Contained in Most Foods
Naturally with such a very
necessary article nearly all foods
contain il, and it would hardly be
possible for a person to eat any
kind Of a mixed diet without OBJ
tanning a good daily supply. But
sometimes something goes wrong
so that the Vitamin B in the food
is not utilized.
As my regular readers know
regard wholesale dosing with
vitamin capsules and extracts as
foolish and unnecessary. Not that
| have any doubts about the abso-
lutte necessity Of getting the vita
minis, but | prefer Natures way
of providing them and that is in
the food. Another Of my beliefs is
that l do not see that the vitamin
deficiencies are so frequent that
extra preventive care should be
instituted. But in the case of Vita
min B, am willing to admit that
circumstances occasionally arise
when some minor forms Of de-
ficiency occur even when the vita
min is present in the food.
One Of these, for instance. Is
diabetie neuritis. We know that
one definite entity ascribable to
Nitamin B deficiency is neuritis.
Typically it is the form known as
beri-beri found mostly in the
Orient in countries where rice is
the exclusive article Of diet and
where the only Vitamin B contain
ing part Of the rice, the shell, u
removed by milling because that
suits the taste Of the populace
better. But there are some forms
of neuritis found in all countries,
such as alcoholic neuritis, which
may be due TO Vitamin B de-
fciency because the alcoholic gets
his Galleries from his alcohol and
eats very little food rich in Vita
min B.
Diabetie Nesritis
In diabetic neuritis another fac
tor operates. 1t is known that
Vitamin B operates particularly
with carbohydrate nutrition -
making the sugars and starches
available for use by the cells. And
we know that diabetes is essen
TALLY . profound disturbance Of
carbohydrate utilization. So it is
quite possible that in diabetes the
body cannot use Vitamin B even
when it is present. And diabetie
neuritis therefore responds to the
use of large amounts Of eoncen-
trated Vitamin B in assimilable
form.
Again vitamin B 10 often
recommended for fatigue and loss
Of appetite. Undoubtedly it does
control appetite and is valuable in
regulating the bowels and hence
preventing constipation. The spec
tacle, however, Of thousands Of
people dosing themselves with
Vitamin B tablets TO help that
tired feeling is not one that ap-
peals TO q real scientist.
Under certain circumstances
the use Of Vitaniin B for fatigue
is more scientific. Particularly l
refer to life in the tropics. Vita
min B is readily excreted in the
perspiration, so the resident Of
the tropics may lose his Vitamin
B so fast in the Precipitation that
he needs a more abundant supply
than his neighbor Of the temperate
zones. Certainly the effect Of =
tropical climate on producing that