THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEFICIENCY DISEASE DURING THERAPEUTIC DIETS

Abstract

The focus of attention on full blown pictures of deficiency disease resulting from actual economic deprivation or gross pathologic function of the individual is perhaps responsible for a general lack of recognition of less striking instances under more easily controlled circumstances. A particular disease is treated by the physician from the dietetic standpoint in accordance with the characteristic features of malfunction, whether these be abnormal alimentary (secretory and motor) activity or deranged carbohydrate, chloride or nitrogen metabolism. The overwhelming enthusiasm for controlling the obvious functional derangements has led to an ignoring of the maintenance of the patient on a diet containing the necessary accessory food factors. Such an attitude is perhaps justified by the facts that actual food deficiency disease of the types readily recognized occurs only after a long period of deprivation and that active dietotherapy is usually only temporary. This was my attitude in the management of patients