voegtlin: role of vitamines in nutrition 579 



of high physiological activity. Two to three milligrams of this 

 substance (that is to say, an exceedingly minute amount) pro- 

 duced a cure of completely paralyzed pigeons sometimes within 

 two to three hours. This substance was obtained in crystalline 

 form, being composed of small needles. The substance seemed 

 to have a definite melting point (233°), and on analysis contained 

 carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. The properties of the 

 substance in regard to its behavior toward various precipitating 

 agents seemed to warrant the conclusion that it was an organic 

 base; this led Funk to designate this substance as vitamine, from 

 vita (life) and amine, meaning that this substance was an amine 

 essential for life. It is true enough that Funk did not have 

 sufficient evidence to prove that the substance was an amine in 

 the chemical sense, nor did he know whether or not other acces- 

 sory food substances belonged in the same chemical group. How- 

 ever, he applied the term vitamines to the substances preventing 

 beri-beri and scurvy. These diseases were called deficiency dis- 

 eases or avitaminoses, meaning that the diet which gives rise 

 to these diseases is deficient in certain vitamines. I fully realize 

 the objection which might be, and has been, raised to the use of 

 the term vitamine; at the same time we may, for the present at 

 least, accept this designation, as it is brief and undoubtedly has 

 some truth in it, as these substances are essential for normal life. 

 The work of Funk and Suzuki has been repeated and some- 

 what elaborated during the last three years by a number of other 

 investigators. The main difficulty which presented itself in the 

 study of these substances was the fact that with the available 

 methods only small amounts of the relatively pure substances 

 could be obtained from hundreds of pounds of the most suitable 

 raw material, such as yeast and rice polishlngs. Realizing this 

 difficulty, work was started over a year ago at the Hygienic 

 Laboratory, and somewhat later at the Pellagra Hospital of the 

 U. S. Public Health Service, in search of improved methods for 

 the isolation of vitamines. I am glad to say that the work 

 resulted fairly successfully, although it is by no means com- 

 pleted. For each raw product it seems necessary to make some 



