voegtlin: role of vitamines in nutrition 595 



preservation of vitamines which might possibly be discovered in 

 the future should be removed if possible without disturbing the 

 normal continuation of these valuable industries. 



OUTLOOK 



Looking back over the history of the discovery of the acces- 

 sory foods and especially the vitamines, we at once realize that 

 it has opened up a new field of investigation, undreamed of a 

 relatively short time ago. Fundamental problems in physiology, 

 pharmacology, and pathology are awaiting the worker interested 

 in this field. The purely scientific, as well as the practical, 

 aspects of this field should stimulate research, which will require 

 a small army of workers in order that rapid progress be made. 

 It is of great importance that vitamine preparations should 

 become available for the practicing physician for the treatment 

 of deficiency diseases. It is quite possible that a number of 

 indefinite complaints and symptoms of adults and infants may 

 be due to a partially deficient diet and would be benefited by 

 the administration of vitamines. It is not always necessary 

 that the full picture of a deficiency disease make its appearance. 

 Such vague symptoms as loss of appetite and general weakness 

 might very well, in some instances, be due to a deficient diet. 

 In passing, it should also be stated that the scientific and practi- 

 cal problems of stock-raising will probably be very greatly bene- 

 fited by researches on the effect of vitamines on the growth of 

 animals and the composition and nutritive value of cows' milk. 

 Efforts should be made to make use of certain industrial wastes 

 rich in vitamines, such as brewers' yeast, rice polishings, etc. 

 If certain reports are correct, Germany at the present time is 

 fully aware of the great nutritive value of brewers' yeast, inas- 

 much as this raw product is now used in that country for human 

 nutrition. 



In conclusion I should like to emphasize an old truth quoted 

 by Langworthy to the effect that "Each country and each 

 epoch has its own food problems." It is up to us to solve them. 



