W. H. SEBRELL 



and presumably made available to all. In fact, of course, this is not 

 true, for their results are actually made available only to a select few 

 who are capable of interpreting them correctly. The job of making 

 the results available to everyone in terms of their practical application 

 still remains to be done. 



In our world of today, the biochemist has become so much a 

 part of medicine, and his findings are so important in the diagnosis 

 and treatment of disease, that his work can no longer be regarded as 

 finished when his new discoveries are published. It is a part of his 

 job and responsibility to assist in making his results of real benefit to 

 people. This does not mean that every biochemist should become a 

 crusader and public lecturer, but rather that some qualified investi- 

 gators should take part in cooperative local, State, and national eff'orts 

 to improve nutrition, adding their knowledge to that of the physician, 

 agriculturist, food distributor, social worker, and representatives of 

 government in the attempt to produce, distribute, and utilize our food 

 supply in the best possible manner. 



Thus pellagra, a deficiency disease, has been known for about 

 twenty-five years to be due to a deficient diet. The foods which are 

 high in pellagra-preventive value are known and widely available in 

 the United States. Niacin was found to be the specific essential 

 vitamin, and has been available for seven years. Yet in the United 

 States in 1943 at least 1303 people died of pellagra, and a much larger 

 number suffered from its eflfects. Why did all this suffering and death 

 occur? The reasons were either that the necessary foods were not 

 available to the victims or that they were ignorant of the information 

 existing about this disease. Poverty and ignorance are the two great 

 factors involved in malnutrition of all kinds. 



Would we not have been more successful in eradicating this 

 disease had all the scientists who knew the facts taken a more active 

 part in correcting the underlying causes? Although willing to argue 

 over technicalities, and the validity of observations, research workers 

 seem to be slow to see that it also should be one of their obligations to 

 devote at least some of their energy to devising practical measures for 

 the prevention of disease, and in imparting their knowledge to those 

 who can use it in the field. If we are determined to make democracy 

 work, scientists must make their special knowledge widely available. 



In the less highly organized society which existed during the 



462 



