Nutrition and Mental Functions

The description of sequelae of nutritional deficien­ cies was equally oversimplified. Obviously, a disease like rickets, which affected hard tissues—the skeleton-­ had irreversible consequences. Destruction or alteration of tissues, such as in cancrum oris or severe xerophthal­ mia, was equally permanent and easily observed. Other models were beriberi or scurvy, where, by contrast, the vitamin treatment seemed to restore the individual to the completely normal status quo ante. Most nutritio...