EDITORIAL


Hahnemann has instructed his followers to hunt or and remove all possible obstacles to the action of the homoeopathic remedy. Many such obstacles can be found in the diet, and some of these have been suggested in an earlier editorial. Let us consider another possible obstruction to cure-the vitamins in the diet, or rather the lack of proper vitamins in the diet.


VITAMINS, HOMOEOPATHY AND HEALTH.

Hahnemann has instructed his followers to hunt or and remove all possible obstacles to the action of the homoeopathic remedy. Many such obstacles can be found in the diet, and some of these have been suggested in an earlier editorial. Let us consider another possible obstruction to cure-the vitamins in the diet, or rather the lack of proper vitamins in the diet.

The essential elements of food are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, salts, water and certain other unidentified substances called vitamins. These latter are absolutely essential if normal nutrition, growth, body tone, and resistance to infection are to be maintained. They were discovered not by their presence in the normal diet, with resultant normal metabolic processes,but by the deficiency diseases,such as scurvy, beri- beri, rickets, pellagra, etc., caused by their absence in the diet. This was recognized early in the Eighteenth century and even at this early time in the history of the vitamins it was recognized, also, that the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables cured the abnormal condition of fresh fruits and vegetables cured the abnormal conditions. It was not, however, until about 1897 that counteractive research was begun on this important question.

What these important parts of the diet are in unknown to date. In all probability they are not “amines” and therefore the name vitamin is not correct, but for lack of a better name this still holds.

Six vitamins have been isolated, A,B,C,D,E and G. It is suspected that one or more of these may later be found to contain more than one substance.

The following table, prepared by Dr.William Weston of Columbia, S.C., and revised in 1931 by Dr.Harold Levine, also of Charlestown, S.C., indicates the accepted facts on the functions,results of deficiency or absence,and reliable sources- arranged as artificial, most potency, reliable and good. It tells the whole story in the handiest form we have seen. The functions and results of deficiency or absence will be given in this article. The sources and a bibliography in a later one.

VITAMIN A.

Called the anti-ophthalmic, anti-infective vitamin. Its functions in the body are:.

Prevents infections, eyes and respiratory especially.

Promotes growth and longevity.

Maintains health and vigor.

Promotes appetite and digestion.

Essential for normal reproduction, lactation and rearing young.

Maintains integrity of epithelial tissue.

Results of deficiency or absence are:.

Lowered resistance to infections.

Retardation of growth and development.

Susceptibility to infections of the:.

a.Glands at base of tongue development.

b.Sinuses (pus) and ears (otitis media).

c.Eyes (night blindness and xerophthalmia).

d.Tear glands (loss of power to produce tears).

e.Salivary and lymph glands, lungs,m nose and skin.

f.Kidney, ureter,bladder (calculi).

g.Alimentary canal.

Diarrhoea.

Physical weakness,.

Failure of appetite and digestion.

Sterility due to failure of ovulation.

Cornification of secretion epithelium.

VITAMIN B (B-1).

Called the anti-neuritic, anti-beriberi vitamin.

Its functions in the body are:.

Promotes the appetite and digestion.

Promotes growth by stimulating metabolic processes.

Protects body from nerve disease (beriberi, polyneuritis).

Required in mother for normal reproduction and lactation.

Promotes tonicity of digestive tract.

Results of deficiency or absence are:.

Impairment or loss of appetite.

Impairment of digestive processes (decreased morality of he stomach, atonic intestines, etc.).

Impaired growth of young in lactation period (due to deficiency in mothers milk).

Sterility due to cessation of oestrus cycle.

Anhydremia.

Loss of weight and vigor.

Subnormal temperature.

Fatigue.

Beriberi or Polyneuritis (nerve disease).

a.Loss of co-ordinating powers of muscles.

b.Gradual paralysis of limbs.

C.Alimentary disturbances (indigestion, constipation, colitis) d.Emaciation.

VITAMIN C.

Called the anti-scorbutic vitamin.

Its functions in the body are:.

Protects body from scurvy.

Required for proper metabolism of the bones.

Required for normal tooth formation and maintenance. Results of deficiency or absence are:.

Scurvy.

a.Haemorrhages (mucous membrane, skin, joints, limbs and bone marrow).

b.Spongy and bleeding gums (ulcerations).

c.Bleeding muscles and tissues.

d.Pains and swelling in joints and limbs.

e.Fragility of bones (spontaneous fractures).

Decalcification of bones.

Decay of teeth.

Loosening and shedding of teeth.

Loss of weight.

Fatigue.

Loss of appetite.

Sallow or pallid complexion.

VITAMIN D.

Called the anti-rachitic vitamin.

Its chief functions in the body are.

Regulates absorption and metabolism of the bone-forming elements-calcium and phosphorus.

Regulates mineral metabolism of the bones and teeth.

Required buy pregnant mother to prevent rickets in the young Results of deficiency or absence are:.

Rickets (bone disease).

Deformities of the bones.

a.Soft and fragile bones.

b.Enlargement of wrists and elbows.

c.Enlargement of rib junctions (beading).

d.Bulging forehead.

e.Softening of cranial bones.

f.Delayed closing of fontanelles.

g.Malformation of chest and pelvis.

h.Bowed legs.

General muscular weakness and instability of nervous system.

Faulty absorption, retention and disposition of the bone- forming elements calcium and phosphorus-in the body.

Low content of calcium and phosphorus-in the body.

Defects in teeth (caries, poorly qualified teeth).

VITAMIN E.

Called the anti-sterility vitamin.

Its functions in the body are:.

Essential for normal reproductive function.

a.Required for normal germ cell maturation in male.

A.required for normal placental function in female

Results of deficiency or absence are:.

Failure in reproduction(sterility).

a.Degeneration of germinal epithelium in male.

b.Failure in placental function in female.

c.Disturbance ion gestation (death and resorption of developing young).

VITAMIN G(B-2).

Called the anti-pellagric vitamin:

Its functions in the body are:

Prevents pellagra. (The most recent experimental work indicates that there are other factors besides vitamin G concerned in the prevention or cure of pellagra) Results of deficiency or absence are:.

Pellagra.

a.Alimentary disturbances.

b.Dermatitis.

c.Pigmentation and thickening of the skin.

d.Soreness and inflammation of tongue and mouth.

e.Diarrhoea.

f.Nervous and mental disturbances.

Vitamin D, the calcium regulator of the body, is found in very small quantities in its normal sources. It has been discovered that the exposure of certain inert substances, notably ergosterol, to the ultra violent rays, endows them with very potency anti-rachitic properties. the new Supper-D is useful in that it is potency and small amounts only are necessary in the conditions associated with calcium deficiency.

In this age of white flour, polished rice, processed foods and pasteurized milk there many occur a married deficiency of manor all of the vitamin so necessary of growth, normal metabolism and good health. There is little loss of vitamins in canned goods canned by advanced, modern methods. The well balanced does,. so-called, may lack these essential factors. Many obscure conditions, well recognized by their results on the body and mind out difficult to determine exactly,may be due to such a deficiency. It is not difficult to suppose that the well-indicated Homoeopathic remedy may fail to give the expected results due to the basic underlying lack of these natural guardians of the bodily health, for the source deficiency is without the body and cannot be supplied either by the body or the remedy,thus it behooves the homoeopathist to be well proved.

Allan D. Sutherland
Dr. Sutherland graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia and was editor of the Homeopathic Recorder and the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy.
Allan D. Sutherland was born in Northfield, Vermont in 1897, delivered by the local homeopathic physician. The son of a Canadian Episcopalian minister, his father had arrived there to lead the local parish five years earlier and met his mother, who was the daughter of the president of the University of Norwich. Four years after Allan’s birth, ministerial work lead the family first to North Carolina and then to Connecticut a few years afterward.
Starting in 1920, Sutherland began his premedical studies and a year later, he began his medical education at Hahnemann Medical School in Philadelphia.
Sutherland graduated in 1925 and went on to intern at both Children’s Homeopathic Hospital and St. Luke’s Homeopathic Hospital. He then was appointed the chief resident at Children’s. With the conclusion of his residency and 2 years of clinical experience under his belt, Sutherland opened his own practice in Philadelphia while retaining a position at Children’s in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
In 1928, Sutherland decided to set up practice in Brattleboro.