Quotes F. Wokes
Description:

‘We are still a long way off complete knowledge of the whole science of Vitamins, and the application of that science to practice. To the dog-owner and dog-breeder, the subject is of the highest importance, seeing that puppies and piglings [sic] are the two animals most frequently used for experiments in feeding by the scientists who are devoting their learning to the subject. In the current number of the Journal of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Orr, of the Rowett Institute, in stressing the need for more experimental work in regard to the rearing of young stock, calls for a special study of Vitamins...

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Whilst on this subject it may be of some interest to mention the fact that the Pharmaceutical Society in its laboratories is carrying out a number of very interesting experiments which may result in the provision of means for carrying out tests of the potency of different Vitamins in given foodstuffs. A most valuable paper read by Mr. F. Wokes, B.Sc., F.I.C., a pharmaceutical chemist concerned in these experiments, is printed in the “Pharmaceutical Journal,” and as it is specially addressed to chemists (of whom I believe there are a large number who subscribe to Our Dogs), it may be hoped that any who see these lines will make it their business to read this paper carefully. It would be all to the good if a dog-owner could go to his local chemist and get at first hand some practical, helpful information as to treating the Vitamin potency of any particular foodstuff he may be using. As to this Mr. Wokes says:-

It is interesting to observe the attention which is paid by the public to any pronouncement concerning Vitamins. Other scientific discoveries have had their vogue for a time, but general interest in Vitamins has increased from year to year – a fact of which good use has been made by manufacturers in their advertising. Many packets of food and medicine are now being sold with a label stating that the Pharmaceutical Society has found the Vitamin potency of the contents to be satisfactory. It is the duty of pharmacists to keep themselves informed of the work on Vitamins which is being done in their own pharmacological laboratory, and elsewhere, in order to be prepared to meet the questions of the public and of members of the medical profession.

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Mr. Wokes then goes on to deal with experiments which show how the effect of Vitamin-dosage varies with different animals.

Experience of Vitamin testing shows that there are wide variations in the response of different animals to the same dose of Vitamins. The procedure usually adopted to lessen the variation has been to make comparisons of results obtained in animals in the same litter, for the variation is greater in animals from different litters, owing probably to their having received different amounts of Vitamin from their parents. But even when comparisons are made only on animals from the same litter, wide variations in the results still occur. Instead of trying to obtain a supply of animals of such remarkable uniformity that they all give the same response to the same dose, Vitamin workers are now beginning to realise that in Vitamin tests, as in all other pharmacological assays, variation in animal susceptibility is unavoidable. In order to ensure uniformity of results a considerable number of animals must be put on the same dose of the Vitamin, and the average of all the individual responses taken. Although wide variation to the individual responses occurs, if sufficient animals are put on the same dose, the average response, under carefully controlled conditions, will always be practically the same.

This is very interesting, but it is not surprising. Whether it be with regard to food or medicine, we all know how varied are the effects produced upon different individuals, and the fact that it is the same with Vitamins is just what might be expected. It only shows how important it is to have some means of estimating Vitamin contents and of standardising feeding-stuffs in regard thereto.’