Preface
Mysterious Diseases Caused by Lack of Vitamins
Great Findings Arise from Raising Chickens
Vitamin C and B were Discovered
Vitamin B2--- the Second Water Soluble B Nutrient
Corn Pellagra and Niacin a Member of Vitamin B Complex
Search for Treatment of Pernicious Anemia
Sunshine Vitamin D and Rickets
Night Blindness and Vitamin A
Bringing Forth Offspring Vitamin E
Blood Clotting and Vitamin K
Take Care of Your Vitamin Intake
Pernicious anemia has bothered humans for many years. When patients suffered from pernicious anemia, they could present pale face, dizziness, fatigue, poor appetite or bleeding signs. In the severe cases, patients manifest shortness of breath, lost consciousness, or even loss of life.
In 1926, several patients with pernicious anemia tried the popular traditional prescription of eating almost a pound of raw animal liver a day for a month, which effectively relieved pernicious anemia. Scientists hypothesized that animal liver contained some substances, which cure pernicious anemia but wondered why it took such large quantities of liver to be an effective cure. Dr. William Castle speculated upon the existence of a substance in the liver called antipernicious anemia factor or A.P.A. He hypothesized that the patients required such large quantities of liver in order to promote a chemical interaction with another unidentified factor, which would increase absorption of A. P. A. Additionally, Dr. George Minot found that only microorganishs amd bacteria can make APA factor and plants animals can’t. In 1949, scientists in England and the United States isolated the pure APA factor respectively and confirmed that APA factor is vitamin B12. Unlike other vitamins, vitamin B12 contains the inorganic mineral cobalt in its molecular form. The absorption of vitamin B12 has to be combined with another intrinsic factor in the intestinal tract during digestion. Lack of the intrinsic factor may result in vitamin B12 deficiency and cause pernicious anemia. Dr. George Minot won the 1934 Noble Prize for his discovery of the composition of vitamin B12. In 1930, scientist Lucy Wills found another substance, which could cure pernicious anemia, and, in the early 1940s, folate was discovered and referred to as a B vitamin.