In 1911 Casimir Funk coined the name Vitamine to describe the substance
which he believed curative of an oriental disease known as beri-beri. This
disease is common in Japan, the Philippines and other lands where the diet
consists mainly of rice, and while the disease itself was well known its
cause and cure had baffled the medical men for many years. Today in
magazines, newspapers and street car advertisements people are urged to
use this or that food or medicament on the plea of its vitamine content.
In less than ten years the study of vitamines has increased to such an
extent that it is difficult to find a chemical journal of any month of
issue that does not contain one or more articles bearing on the subject.
Such a rapid rise to public notice suggests an importance that justifies
investigation by the laity as well as the chemist and in the pages that
follow has been outlined in simple language the biography of this newest
and lustiest of the chemist's children.

Dr. Funk christened one individual but the family has grown since 1911 to
three members which for lack of better names are now called vitamines "A,"
"B," and "C." There are now rumors of another arrival and none dare
predict the limits of the family. Had these new substances been limited to
their relation to an obscure oriental disease they would have of course
commanded the medical attention but it is doubtful whether the general
public would have found it worth while to concern themselves. It is
because on better acquaintance they have compelled us to reform our ideas
on nutrition of both adults and babies and pick out our foods from a new
angle, that we accord them the attention they demand and deserve. Granting
then, their claim upon our attention, let us review our present knowledge
and try to see with just what we are dealing. This will be more easily
accomplished if we consider the vitamines first from the historical side
and reserve our attention to details of behavior until later.