Professional ambitions, political inclinations, and protein problems: Conflict and compromise in the BMA nutrition committee 1947-1950

Medical History

Volumn 47, Issue 4, 2003, Pages 473-492

  Bufton, Mark W ^a   Smith, David F ^b   Berridge, Virginia ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF EXETER   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN   (United Kingdom)

^c LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADVISORY COMMITTEE; ARTICLE; CONFLICT; CONSENSUS; HEALTH CARE POLICY; HISTORY; HUMAN; MEDICAL SOCIETY; POLITICS; PROTEIN INTAKE; UNITED KINGDOM;

ADVISORY COMMITTEES; CONSENSUS; DIETARY PROTEINS; DISSENT AND DISPUTES; GREAT BRITAIN; HISTORY, 20TH CENTURY; HUMANS; NUTRITION POLICY; POLITICS; SOCIETIES, MEDICAL;

EID: 0642314510     PISSN: 00257273     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/s0025727300057355     Document Type: Article

References (114)

1. 'Hungry England inquiry: Report of Committee', Week-End Review, 1 April 1933, 7: 357-60.
2. For an account of the debate, see C Webster, 'Healthy or hungry thirties?', Hist. Workshop, 1983, 13: 110-29.
3. Bartrip, Themselves writ large, the British Medical Association 1832-1966, London, British Medical Journal, 1996, pp. 201-5.
4. D F Smith, 'The social construction of dietary standards: the British Medical Association-Ministry of Health Advisory Committee on Nutrition Report of 1934', in D Maurer and J Sobal (eds). Eating agendas: food and nutrition as social problems. New York, Aldine De Gruyter, 1995, pp. 279-303.
5. British Medical Association, Report of the Committee on Nutrition, London, British Medical Association, 1950.
6. S Cooper, 'Snoek Piquante", in M Sissons and P French (eds), Age of austerity, London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1963, pp. 35-54.
7. Department of Health and Social Security, Recommended intakes of nutrients for the United Kingdom, Report on Public Health and Medical Subjects No. 120, London, HMSO, 1969. R Passmore, D F Hollingsworth, and J Robertson, 'Prescription for a better British diet', Br. med. J., 1979, i: 527-31, p. 527.
8. Department of Health and Social Security, Recommended intakes of nutrients for the United Kingdom, Report on Public Health and Medical Subjects No. 120, London, HMSO, 1969. R Passmore, D F Hollingsworth, and J Robertson, 'Prescription for a better British diet', Br. med. J., 1979, i: 527-31, p. 527.
9. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
10. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
11. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
12. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
13. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
14. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
15. Several other studies have explored aspects of the history of protein requirements and their application, including K J Carpenter, Protein and energy, a study of changing ideas in nutrition, Cambridge University Press, 1994; N Aronson, 'Nutrition as a social problem'. Soc. Probl., 1982, 29: 474-87. and 'Social definitions of entitlement: food needs, 1885-1920', Media Cult Soc., 1982, 4: 51-61; L M Barnett, '"Every man his own physician": dietetic fads, 1890-1914', in H Kamminga and A Cunningham (eds), The science and culture of nutrition, 1840-1940, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 1995, pp. 155-78, and idem, 'Fletcherism: the chew chew fad of the Edwardian era', in D F Smith (ed.), Nutrition in Britain: science, scientists and politics in the twentieth century, London, Routledge, 1997, pp. 5-28, and J Ruxin, 'The rise and fall of the Protein Advisory Group', in D F Smith and J Phillips (eds), Food, science, policy and regulation in the twentieth century: international and comparative perspectives. London, Routledge, 2000, pp. 151-66. However, only the current paper, and Smith, 'Social construction', op. cit., note 4 above, are based on archival resources that allow the kind of detailed analysis of the negotiation of standards that is presented here
16. For some examples of editorials see Br med. J., 1945, ii: 573, 852-4; 1946. i: 840-1; 1947, i: 534-5; 1947, ii. 422, 427-8, 458-9, 696-7: 1948, i: 398-9; 1948, ii: 716-8.
17. For some examples of editorials see Br med. J., 1945, ii: 573, 852-4; 1946. i: 840-1; 1947, i: 534-5; 1947, ii. 422, 427-8, 458-9, 696-7: 1948, i: 398-9; 1948, ii: 716-8.
18. For some examples of editorials see Br med. J., 1945, ii: 573, 852-4; 1946. i: 840-1; 1947, i: 534-5; 1947, ii. 422, 427-8, 458-9, 696-7: 1948, i: 398-9; 1948, ii: 716-8.
19. For some examples of editorials see Br med. J., 1945, ii: 573, 852-4; 1946. i: 840-1; 1947, i: 534-5; 1947, ii. 422, 427-8, 458-9, 696-7: 1948, i: 398-9; 1948, ii: 716-8.
20. For some examples of editorials see Br med. J., 1945, ii: 573, 852-4; 1946. i: 840-1; 1947, i: 534-5; 1947, ii. 422, 427-8, 458-9, 696-7: 1948, i: 398-9; 1948, ii: 716-8.
21. For some examples of editorials see Br med. J., 1945, ii: 573, 852-4; 1946. i: 840-1; 1947, i: 534-5; 1947, ii. 422, 427-8, 458-9, 696-7: 1948, i: 398-9; 1948, ii: 716-8.
22. Zweintger-Bargielowska. Austerity in Britain, rationing, controls, and consumption, 1939-1955, New York, Oxford University Press. 2000, p. 221.
23. F Bicknell and F Prescott. The vitamins in medicine, London, Heinemann Medical, 1942 (2nd ed. 1946).
24. F Bicknell, 'Special article: dying England', Medical Press, 1947, 217: 381-5, pp. 381, 385.
25. 'The hungry sheep ...', Medical Press, 1947, 217: 372-3
26. 'Bread rationing and calories', Br. med. J'., 1947, i: 534-5.
27. 'Food rations for invalids: correspondence between the Secretary of the BMA and the Ministry of Food', Br. med. J., 1947, i: 230-1.
28. 'Annual Report of Council', Supplement to the British Medical Journal, 19 April 1947, p. 82.
29. 'Annual Representative Meeting', Supplement to the British Medical Journal, 2 Aug. 1947, p. 44.
30. Proceedings of Council, 29 Oct. 1947, Supplement to the British Medical Journal. 8 Nov. 1947, p. 105.
31. Thomas Border', Munk's Roll, ed. R R Trail, London, Royal College of Physicians, 1968. vol. 5, p. 199.
32. This is not to say that Horder's clinical experience was not useful in this role. One of his tasks was to act as a representative of the Ministry of Food on the Special Diets Committee of the Medical Research Council which established principles and heard appeals regarding exceptions to the rationing system for those suffering particular illnesses. See Public Record Office, London (hereafter PRO), FD I/5311, Food rationing (Special diets) Advisory Committee, 1940, et seq.
33. Archives and Manuscripts, Wellcome Library, London (hereafter Wellcome) SA/BMA/J.85, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 1 Dec. 1947.
34. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J 85, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 1 Dec. 1947; SA/BMA/G.53, letter from L Harriss to C Hill, 24 Nov. 1947. Harris, Platt and McCance probably declined the invitation to serve partly because of the long-established attitude of the MRC secretary, Edward Mellanby, towards the involvement of MRC-reliant personnel in non-MRC nutrition activities, and partly because of their own views as to the proper work that they should undertake. See D F Smith, 'Nutrition science and the two world wars', in Smith, Nutrition in Britain, op. cit, note 8 above, pp. 142-66, on p. 157, 160.
35. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.85, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 1 Dec. 1947.
36. J Burnett. Plenty and want a social history of diet in England from 1815 to the present day, London, Nelson, 1966, p 259
37. 'Diet and the nation's health: debate by the Hunterian Society', Br. med. J , 1947, ii: 882-4
38. Interview: H M Sinclair recorded by D F Smith, 13 Nov. 1979. The tape and transcript, and those of the other interviews referred to in these notes, are in the possession of David Smith. Much the same story that Sinclair related in interview about the failure of Oxford University to establish a Department of Nutrition appears in M Gale and B B Lloyd (eds), Sinclair, London, McCarrison Society, 1990. The author of a recent biography, however, presents a more complex story. See J H Ewin, Fine wines and fish oil. the life of Hugh Macdonald Sinclair, New York, Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 172-9.
39. Interview: H M Sinclair recorded by D F Smith, 13 Nov. 1979. The tape and transcript, and those of the other interviews referred to in these notes, are in the possession of David Smith. Much the same story that Sinclair related in interview about the failure of Oxford University to establish a Department of Nutrition appears in M Gale and B B Lloyd (eds), Sinclair, London, McCarrison Society, 1990. The author of a recent biography, however, presents a more complex story. See J H Ewin, Fine wines and fish oil. the life of Hugh Macdonald Sinclair, New York, Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 172-9.
40. D F Smith, 'The early institutional and scientific development of the Rowett Research Institute', in A Adam, D F Smith, and F Watson (eds), 'To the grett support and advancement of helth' - papers, on the history of medicine in Aberdeen, Aberdeen History of Medicine Publications, 1996, pp. 45-53.
41. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.53, letter from D Cuthbertson to C Hill, 19 Nov. 1947.
42. Interview: D P Cuthbertson recorded by D F Smith, 1 Nov. 1979. On Orr's work in human nutrition in the late 1930s, see D F Smith. 'The Carnegie Survey: background and intended impact', in A Fenton (ed.) Order and disorder: the health implications of eating and drinking in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, East Linton, Tuckwell Press in association with the European Ethnological Research Centre. 2000, pp. 64-80.
43. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.85, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition. 1 Dec. 1947.
44. Interview: J Yudkin recorded by D F Smith, 27 Nov, 1979.
45. J R Marrack, Food and planning, London, Gollancz, 1942; J R Marrack, 'Food then and now', The Times, 2 May 1947, 5e.
46. J R Marrack, Food and planning, London, Gollancz, 1942; J R Marrack, 'Food then and now', The Times, 2 May 1947, 5e.
47. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.61 Letter from A Macrae to F le Gros Clark, 19 Jan. 1948
48. D F Smith, 'The discourse of scientific knowledge of nutrition and dietary change in the twentieth century', in A Murcott (ed.), The nation's diet: the social science of food choice, London, Addison-Wesley, Longman, 1998, pp. 311-31, on pp. 319-22.
49. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.65, letter from F Yates to A Macrae, 24 Feb. 1948. The statistician who declined the invitation was Professor Major Greenwood of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. SA/BMA/G.60, letter from M Greenwood to C Hill, 5 Dec. 1947.
50. R A Fisher and F Yates, Statistical tables for biological, agricultural and medical research, London, Oliver and Boyd. 1938, 1945, 1948; F Yates, Sampling methods for censuses and surveys, London, C Griffin, 1949.
51. R A Fisher and F Yates, Statistical tables for biological, agricultural and medical research, London, Oliver and Boyd. 1938, 1945, 1948; F Yates, Sampling methods for censuses and surveys, London, C Griffin, 1949.
52. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.85. Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 1 Dec. 1947; SA/BMA/J.87, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 14 Dec.1948.
53. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.85. Minutes of Subcommittee on Nutritional Requirements, 5 Jan., 6 Feb., 19 March, 7 May, 15 June 1948
54. E M Hume and H A Krebs, 'Vitamin A requirements of human adults: an experimental study of vitamin A deprivation in man'. Medical Research Council Special Report Series 1949: 264: E M Hume and H A Krebs, 'Vitamin-C requirements of human adults: experimental study of vitamin-C deprivation in man', Lancet, 1948, i: 853.
55. E M Hume and H A Krebs, 'Vitamin A requirements of human adults: an experimental study of vitamin A deprivation in man'. Medical Research Council Special Report Series 1949: 264: E M Hume and H A Krebs, 'Vitamin-C requirements of human adults: experimental study of vitamin-C deprivation in man', Lancet, 1948, i: 853.
56. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J 87, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 14 Dec. 1948.
57. Zweiniger-Bargielowska, op. cit., note 10 above, pp. 24-6, 74-6, 81, 262.
58. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.61, E R Bransby and J R Marrack to A Macrae, 23 Oct. 1948.
59. Wellcome, SA/BM/WJ.87, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition, 14 Dec. 1948
60. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.87, Minutes of Committee on Nutrition 14 April 1949.
61. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.84, Minute of subcommittee on nutritional requirements, 5 Jan. 1948.
62. A M Thomson, 'Obituary notice Isabella Leitch 1890-1980'. Br J Nutrition, 1981, 45: 1-4.
63. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.84, Minute of subcommittee on nutritional requirements, 6 Feb. 1948.
64. British Medical Association Archive (hereafter BMAA) B/253/1/1, Minutes of Nutrition Committee, 1947-8. D Cuthbertson, 'Protein allowances for health', paper for subcommittee on Nutritional Requirements, 9 March 1948.
65. Smith, 'Social construction", op. cit., note 4 above, pp. 283, 287.
66. BMAA B/253/1/1, Minutes of Nutrition Committee. 1947-8. D Cuthbertson, 'Protein allowances for health', paper for subcommittee on nutritional requirements, 9 March 1948.
67. BMAA B/253/1/1. Minutes of Nutrition Committee, 1947-8. Covering letter from D Cuthbertson, 'Protein allowances for health', paper for subcommittee on nutritional requirements, 9 March 1948.
68. BMAA B/253/1/2, Minutes of Nutrition Committee, 1948-9: Draft report of the Committee on Nutrition, for drafting subcommittee. 17 March 1949.
69. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.87, Minute of Committee on Nutrition, 14 April 1949.
70. D F Smith, 'Nutrition in Britain in the twentieth century', unpublished PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1987, pp. 215-21, 234-6.
71. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J 87, Minute of Committee on Nutrition, 14 April 1949.
72. I b i d.
73. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.59. letter from A Macrae to J Drummond, 12 May 1949.
74. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.62, letter from A Macrae to Lord Horder, 12 May 1949.
75. Zweiniger-Bargielowska, op. cit., note 10 above, pp. 24-6, 74-6, 81, 262.
76. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.59, letter from J Yudkin to J Drummond, 14 May 1949.
77. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.65, letter from F Yates to J Drummond, 17 May 1949.
78. I b i d.
79. The Committee's bland findings were disappointing to the BMA's deputy secretary, Angus Macrae, in view of the amount of work involved in arriving at them. With reference to this outcome he commented, "Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus", meaning "the mountains are in travail, an absurd mouse will be born", Wellcome, SA/BMA/
80. G.65, letter from A Macrae to H Sinclair of 9 Aug. 1949. The proverb is to be found in Horace's ATS poetica, 139. Definition of this Latin phrase was taken from The Chambers Dictionary, Edinburgh, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2000, p. 1976.
81. G.65, letter from A Macrae to H Sinclair of 9 Aug. 1949. The proverb is to be found in Horace's ATS poetica, 139. Definition of this Latin phrase was taken from The Chambers Dictionary, Edinburgh, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2000, p. 1976.
82. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.59, letter from J Drummond to J Yudkin, 16 May 1949.
83. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.59, letter from J Drummond to A Macrae, 19 May 1949.
84. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.59. letter from J Drummond to A Macrae, 24 May 1949.
85. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.65, letter from H Sinclair to J Drummond, 24 May 1949.
86. Wellcome, SA/BM A/G.59, 'Dr Sinclair's revised draft of para. 42', 24 May 1949.
87. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.62, letter from A Macrae to Lord Horder, 14 June 1949.
88. Wellcome, SA/BMA/J.86-7, Minutes of subcommittee on nutritional requirements, 7 June 1949.
89. British Medical Association, op. cit., note 5 above, p. 15.
90. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.65, letter from D P Cuthbertson to H Sinclair, 11 July 1949.
91. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.65, letterfrom H Sinclair to J Drummond, 19 July 1949.
92. Wellcome, SA/BMA/G.65, letter from H Sinclair to J Drummond, 30 July 1949.
93. Wellcome, S A/BMA/G.62, letter from A Macrae to Lord Horder, 8 August 1949.
94. British Medical Association, op. cit., note 5 above, p 23.
95. A M Weinberg, 'Science and crans-science', Minerva: a review of science, learning and policy, 1972, 10: 209-22, 216.
96. A Mazur, 'Disputes between experts', Minerva: a review of science, learning and policy, 1973, 11: 243-62, 258-9.
97. It should be noted, however, that there are examples of committees leaving blanks in tables of protein requirements. For example, in 1958, the US Food and Nutrition Board declined to give a figure for the protein requirement of infants in the first year of life See Carpenter, op. cit., note 8 above, p. 182. The authors thank one of the anonymous referees for drawing our attention to this example.
98. Smith, 'Social construction", op. cit , note 5 above, p. 293. Figures mentioned by Carpenter, in his account of the debates about protein requirements during the late 1900s and early 1910s, suggest that the "5% rule probably originated during that period". Carpenter, op. cit., note 8 above, p. 117.
99. Smith, 'Social construction", op. cit , note 5 above, p. 293. Figures mentioned by Carpenter, in his account of the debates about protein requirements during the late 1900s and early 1910s, suggest that the "5% rule probably originated during that period". Carpenter, op. cit., note 8 above, p. 117.
100. H C Sherman, 'Protein requirement of maintenance in man and the nutritive efficiency of bread protein', J. Biol. Chem., 1920, 41: 97-109; League of Nations Health Organisation, Report on the physiological bases of nutrition, Geneva, 1936. The origins of the 1g per kg rule were made clear in an editorial in the British Medical Journal in Jan. 1947. "Protein requirements of adults', Br. med. J., 1947, i: 19-20.
101. H C Sherman, 'Protein requirement of maintenance in man and the nutritive efficiency of bread protein', J. Biol. Chem., 1920, 41: 97-109; League of Nations Health Organisation, Report on the physiological bases of nutrition, Geneva, 1936. The origins of the 1g per kg rule were made clear in an editorial in the British Medical Journal in Jan. 1947. "Protein requirements of adults', Br. med. J., 1947, i: 19-20.
102. H C Sherman, 'Protein requirement of maintenance in man and the nutritive efficiency of bread protein', J. Biol. Chem., 1920, 41: 97-109; League of Nations Health Organisation, Report on the physiological bases of nutrition, Geneva, 1936. The origins of the 1g per kg rule were made clear in an editorial in the British Medical Journal in Jan. 1947. "Protein requirements of adults', Br. med. J., 1947, i: 19-20.
103. H C Sherman, 'Protein requirement of maintenance in man and the nutritive efficiency of bread protein', J. Biol. Chem., 1920, 41: 97-109; League of Nations Health Organisation, Report on the physiological bases of nutrition, Geneva, 1936. The origins of the 1g per kg rule were made clear in an editorial in the British Medical Journal in Jan. 1947. "Protein requirements of adults', Br. med. J., 1947, i: 19-20.
104. Over forty years later. Yudkin recalled the discussion on protein at the BMA committee meetings. He remembered that in response to the concerns he expressed about possible demands for changes in the rationing system following from the proposed protein requirement figures. Harriette Chick asked whether he would not like a little more bacon to eat? As a Jew, he had a ready reply. Comments made by John Yudkin in response to a paper delivered by David Smith at the Historians and Nutritionists Group seminar. King's College London, 8 July 1992
105. British Medical Association, op. cit., note 5 above, p. 97.
106. Wellcome, SA/BMAA3.62, letter from A Macrae to Lord Horder, 11 Aug. 1949.
107. Some confirmation of the analysis of Yudkin's politics is provided by an oral history interview conducted in 1979. When asked about his political affiliations, Yudkin responded that he was a Labour supporter. Interview, op cit., note 31 above.
108. Smith, 'Nutrition science', op. cit., note 22 above, p. 185.
109. W S Pierpont, 'Norman Wingate Pirie', Biog. Mems Fell. R. Soc Lond. 1999, 45: 397-415.
110. Smith, 'Social construction", op. cit., note 4 above.
111. Smith, 'Nutrition in Britain', op. cit., note 54, above, p. 206. N W Pirie, who spoke about his ideas for extracting protein from leaves at one of the informal conference meetings, may have been one of the politically-minded participants that Sinclair objected to.
112. It should be noted that we have not suggested that there was or is likely to be any simple correspondence between scientists' politics and views on protein requirements. We have not attempted to link all actors' positions on protein requirements with their political thought. Nevertheless, it is worth noting, that in 1979, when Yudkin, Cuthbertson and Sinclair were interviewed and asked about their political affiliations, their responses varied as follows: Yudkin remarked that he was a Labour supporter, Cuthbertson that he was a Conservative, and Sinclair that he was a Liberal. Interviews, op. cit., notes 26, 29 and 31 above.
113. To date, however, records of other committees of the quality of those available for the 1933-4 BMA Nutrition Committee, the Ministry of Health Advisory Committee on Nutrition, and the 1947-50 BMA Nutrition Committee, have not been recovered. As a result, analyses of the work of the government's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy, for example, have been much broader in focus. See, for example, M W Bufton and V Berridge, 'Post-war nutrition science and policy making in Britain C.1945-1994: the case of diet and heart disease', in Smith and Phillips (eds), op. cit., note 8 above, pp. 207-22; M W Bufton, 'Coronary heart disease versus BSE: characterising official British expert advisory committees'. Science and Public Policy, 2001, 28:381-8.
114. To date, however, records of other committees of the quality of those available for the 1933-4 BMA Nutrition Committee, the Ministry of Health Advisory Committee on Nutrition, and the 1947-50 BMA Nutrition Committee, have not been recovered. As a result, analyses of the work of the government's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy, for example, have been much broader in focus. See, for example, M W Bufton and V Berridge, 'Post-war nutrition science and policy making in Britain C.1945-1994: the case of diet and heart disease', in Smith and Phillips (eds), op. cit., note 8 above, pp. 207-22; M W Bufton, 'Coronary heart disease versus BSE: characterising official British expert advisory committees'. Science and Public Policy, 2001, 28:381-8.