Navigation and History of Science: Beriberi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19230/jonnpr.1519Keywords:
Beriberi, navigation, clinical trials, vitamin B1Abstract
The history of beriberi is an example of national pride, different social classes, research efforts and also luck. All histories have their main protagonists. In this case, perhaps the most significant people were Christiaan Eijkman, William Fletcher and Kanehiro Takaki. Infection, toxicity and feeding, among other factors, were the starting points to support the initial etiopathogenic bases of the disease. The experimental and epidemiological work of these authors gave the key about the cause of beriberi and its effective treatment. As in the case of scurvy, the mystery was solved not without very hard work and many previous mistakes.
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