C. A. ELVEIIJEM 



of pounds supplied by the current price. The crystalhne material was 

 most valuable to the investigator \vhen the supply was still in limited 

 production. For example, our work on the newer members of the B 

 complex with the chick was directly dependent upon our ability to 

 obtain adequate supplies of pure biotin. Currently, everyone is inter- 

 ested in feeding his animals purified rations containing only the syn- 

 thetic vitamins; and the vitamin requirements become rather large 

 when dogs, monkeys, pigs, and even human subjects are used. Many 

 of us today would be willing to pay a fancy price for even a few milli- 

 grams of pure folic acid. If work on the chemistry of this and related 

 compounds had not been limited by the war, sufficient quantities of it 

 would undoubtedly now be available for experimental purposes. 



As the methods of synthesis improved and the demand for the 

 compound increased, very substantial decreases in the wholesale prices 

 of most of the vitamins were made. The cost of riboflavin has decreased 

 from $17.50 per gram in April, 1938, to 30 cents per gram in gram lots 

 in October, 1944. In January, 1934, vitamin G cost $213 per ounce; 

 today, one ounce may be purchased for 95 cents. 



The reduced prices made these vitamins available for many 

 purposes other than for the manufacture of elixirs, tablets, and cap- 

 sules: synthetic ascorbic acid is added to the lemon powder used in 

 army rations; B vitamins are added to flour, bread, and corn grits; 

 and several of the vitamins were supplied to other countries through 

 "Lend-Lease." In 1944, production of certain of the individual vita- 

 mins ranged from 100,000 to 1,000,000 pounds. 



Vitamins are no longer limited to the laboratory and the doctor's 

 office — they are now part of big business: more extensive use of vita- 

 mins means greater dividends to the stockholders of many industries; 

 therefore, large advertising campaigns have been instituted; and as 

 profits increase, more funds become available for research. A few 

 years ago some of us were highly pleased if we received $500 to sup- 

 port a favorite project. Today, yearly grants as high as $50,000 are 

 made for nutrition research — a magnificent start. We have the inter- 

 est of the public and the support of industry, and we should have many 

 well-trained and energetic investigators in the postwar period. 



But what of the future? First we must realize that many of the 

 workers will be interested in research merely for the sake of research. 

 Many will have had little contact with extensive deficiency diseases. 



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