AUSTRALIAN COOKING METHODS

written carotene) as a tribute to the humble carrot. This vegetable is rich in it and can be cooked in all the usual ways without destroying it."

Dr. Henry C. Sherman in "Chemistry of Food and Nutrition," a standard reference book, writes: "Vitamin A is essential to growth in the young and to normal nutrition and health at all ages. Lack of vitamin A results in a widespread weakening of the body and its ability to resist infections. This nutritional deficiency gives rise to an increased incidence of respiratory diseases; of skin, ear and sinus infections; of inflammation and infections of the alimentary tract; and even of renal calculi (stones). The higher intake of vitamin A also makes the lungs more resistant to disease. Vitamin A serves both as a tissue building and as a regulatory substance."

The relation of vitamin A to the eye is very marked. Reports on recent experiments from Texas show that when vitamin A was withheld from brood sows, pigs in the litters were born blind, some without eyes at all. We know that vitamin A is necessary to prevent certain forms of eye infection and disorder, but we can't depend entirely on the eye symptoms to tell us when we need more vitamin A. In this connection Sherman says: "While cases of eye trouble due to vitamin A deficiency have attracted much attention, it is probable that while a few people suffer eye symptoms, a very much greater number are suffering from vitamin A shortage in other ways. In the work of Tilden and Miller it was found that nine out of eleven monkeys developed epithelial lesions and serious digestive disorders without showing eye symptoms. Wolbach and Howe in their work with guinea pigs found them to show the same pathological histology of the epithelium as do rats, but without developing the eye disease. . . . We should carefully heed the view which McCollum has so often emphasized, that there are probably large numbers of people who are more or less lacking in vigor because they live on foods containing less than optimal (the best) amounts of calcium and vitamin A."

There is no doubt that vitamin A has far-reaching functions at all ages and conditions. It helps to protect the body from many diseases, chiefly through promoting a vigorously healthy condition of the body. It plays an important part in the development of positive or buoyant health and general vitality and resisting powers. And, as Mellanby, Green, Batchelder and other modern researchers have pointed out, the best results are obtained when the intakes of vitamin A are several times higher than the amount originally considered adequate.

VITAMIN A AND KIDNEY STONES

Of great interest is the announcement of Dr. Charles C. Higgens of the Crile clinic at a recent session of the American Medical Association, of a painless diet for combating kidney and bladder stones. The new diet, said Dr. Higgens, obviates the recourse to surgery for relief from this painful affliction.

The idea came from experiments on Albino rats in biochemical laboratories. Diets deficient in vitamin A produced the stones. Rich vitamin A feeding dissolved them. Subsequently, eighteen human beings were reported as taking the vitamin A diet for kidney and bladder stones (calculi). Some of these had previously been operated on and the diet prevented formation of new stones - something that frequently happens. Or if the new stones had begun to form, the diet soon dissolved them. Of the patients without operations, in two, food caused a complete disappearance of the stones in four months. In others, with extremely large stones, thirteen months had produced a significant decrease in size. One patient with a stone completely filling one kidney had gotten rid of it in six months. The diet consisted of foods extremely high in vitamin A.

VITAMINS TO PREVENT INFECTIONS

Of course vitamin A is not the only vitamin which has anti-infective properties. Dr. L. Jean Bogert, in "Diet and Personality," tells us that:
"Giving large doses of vitamins - far more than the amount actually needed to prevent those diseases due to vitamin deficiency - is probably an effective way of preventing infections or of helping the body to overcome an infection already acquired.... Now vitamin A in some way acts specifically on the membranes lining the respiratory tract, and vitamins A and C on those lining the digestive tract, to increase their ability to resist bacterial invasions. Extra doses of these two vitamins, therefore, have an especially potent effect in assisting one to prevent infections. But vitamins B and D also play an important part in building up resistance to infections, and the best results are obtained when there is a liberal and well-balanced supply of all the vitamins.
"Lack of vitamin A has been shown to increase the susceptibility to tuberculosis, sinus infections, ab-cesses in the ears or at the base of the tongue, colds and other infections.... Lack of vitami

Another photocopy piece of cartoon drawing of my former chemistry teacher which I found in a box today. Done in 1994. In school I enjoyed the Chemistry subject, but today I cannot remember a thing I learned anymore. Oh except for ‘NaCl – Sodium Chloride’ which is a scientific name for salt.

One of the ambitions I had was to be a chemist! (I am glad it did not happen!) Among the few others were artist and photographer... Well, young people dream. I am still dreaming my dreams today :)