VITAMIN C : NATURE'S MIRACULOUS HEALING MISSILE by Glen Dettman and Archie Kalokerinos

Research on vitamin C spans continents and centuries. Long before Dr James Linde published his classic, "Treatise on the Scurvy", in 1753, other doctors had been extolling the virtues of citrus fruit for a great many maladies, most of which, in hindsight, were benefitted. For instance, from Allen's "Practice of Physick", London, 1740, Vol.2, p.21: "The juice of lemons and oranges are antiscorbutics never enough to be commended. And, without boasting, I can affirm that I have never observed in my whole practice so many happy effects by any one simple medicine as by lemons."

So it is not surprising that 20th Century research would verify astute 18th Century observations and determine the factor, ascorbic acid, responsible for those "happy effects". This ascorbic acid molecule, now commonly called vitamin C, is an extremely simple combination of just carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, having a very low molecular weight. Its very simplicity explains why it has found its way into literally hundreds of metabolic pathways within our bodies, and why a more than "ample" amount of vitamin C can turn such a large variety of maladies into those happy effects.

Doctors Archie Kalokerinos, Glen Dettman, and Ian Dettman, have sorted through many 1000s of research articles, books, and personal communications, written this century about vitamin C and have extracted the cream - those that most clearly and convincingly show how vitamin C performs its "miracles". Most of these articles are exciting to read, and some are quite moving. Over the decades it has been a great mystery to me how most medical doctors are so slow to take full advantage of vitamin C's simple powers. I believe this book may help convince the skeptics by inundating them with many important, historical, informative, and yet readable, articles from the past. However this will take several more years. Back in 1974 I had the pleasure of writing the Foreword to Dr Kalokerinos' book, "Every Second Child", yet even today in 1991, none of the many Crib Death organizations will even discuss vitamin C. Perhaps they will change their minds after reading Dr Ronald Kilgour's unsolicited letter in this present volume.

But we're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here in America, even our nutritionally backward government and medical associations are beginning to recommend supplements such as beta carotene, niacin, and fiber. Just a few years ago they were insisting a good diet was quite sufficient. Whether they will ever bite the bullet and recommend vitamin C is a question the answer to which is fraught with politics, reputations, face-saving, and the almighty dollar. It will be interesting to see if this book, for which I'm honored to have been invited to write the Foreword, will turn the tide for vitamin C.