Perspectives in Nutrition This Hungry World A Responsibility of Preventive Medicine

I IS hoped that Perspectives km Nutritiomi will review the literature selectively, inter-pret it moderately and present a spectrum of ideas that will serve as a continual stim-ulatiomi to miutritional research applied to medical problems. I F ONE examines the definition of the word ‘ ‘hungry ’ ‘ in the second edition of Webster’s unabridged dictionary, one finds that the sense in which the word here is used, i.e., “marked by lack of food, famine-stricken, ” is labeled ‘ ‘obsolete. ‘ ‘ Perhaps this reflects widespread failure in the mnodern world to understand that hunger is not obsolete but remains ever present and that the prevention of hunger by the proper use of foodstuffs is of wide concern. To those in preventive medicine this is no new concept. ‘ nearly two thousand years ago, wrote “... after having spoken of those things which benefit by depleting we come to those which nourish, namely, food and drink. Now these are of general assistance not only in diseases of all kinds, but in preserving health as well; and an acquaintance with the properties of all is of importance, in the first place that those in health may know how to make use of them, then, as we follow on to the treatment of diseases, we can state the species of aliments to be consumed... “ Prevention of hunger and preservation of health through good nutrition long have been a concern of the physician. That branch of preventive medicine occupied with military and naval medicin