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11E
An Era of Nutritional Growth and Maturation
Highlights of The Journal of Nutrition during the
Editorship of George R. Cowgill, 19391959
WILLARD A. KREHL Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/4/11e/4688147 by guest on 07 January 2023
INTRODUCTION proved to be a fortuitous development ex
Dr. Elmer V. McCollum was President of tending over the next twenty years.
the American Institute of Nutrition when Just where was the science of nutrition in
Dr. John R. Murlin unexpectedly an 1939? A glimpse of this is given by Dr.
nounced his retirement as Editor of The E. V. McCollum in his History of Nutri
Journal of Nutrition at the annual spring tion (1957). Writing about the end of an
meeting of the American Institute of Nu era and new horizons, he states that "aside
trition, April 27, 1939. This resignation, from the difficulty of bringing into proper
coming as a surprise, did not permit time perspective the nutrition investigations of
for the election of a new editor at the the past fifteen years, it seems logical to
meeting. Instead an election procedure was close this history of ideas with the year
developed for selection which led to the 1940. Essentially that year marks the
appointment of Dr. George R. Cowgill as achievement of the primary objectives set
Editor effective July 1, 1939. Dr. Cowgill by pioneers in this field of study. They
had been a member of the Editorial Board sought to discover what in terms of chemi
of The Journal of Nutrition; he was also cal substances constituted an adequate diet
active in nutrition research and quite for man and domestic animals, and that
knowledgeable of the affairs of the Ameri purpose was realized." McCollum further
can Institute of Nutrition. His election to noted that "an adequate diet must provide,
the editorship was fitting. He also placed in appropriate amounts, forty or more spe
The Journal in the midst of the Lafayette cific chemical substances identified as
B. Mendell tradition at Yale, which served amino acids, vitamins, fatty acids, carbo
as a focal point for the science of nutrition hydrates, and inorganic elements. With the
exception of folic acid and vitamin B , by
in the early developmental years. Yale 12
University and the Department of Physi 1940 these have been identified, isolated
ological Chemistry, of which Dr. Cowgill and characterized chemically." Did this
was a key member, provided a secure home milestone year of 1940 then represent a
for The Journal of Nutrition, and for many beginning of the end to the science of nu
years provided indirect support to The trition? We now know, of course, that this
Journal in many ways. Often unnoticed are simply represented the end of the begin
the significant contributions that our aca ning which has now taken us through
demic institutions provide by the way of nearly four decades more of continuously
editorial offices along with much of the productive research in the science of nutri
associated indirect costs. I am sure that tion and has expanded the horizons of our
Yale in those days welcomed the oppor knowledge regarding the role of nutrients,
tunity to provide an editorial home for functioning at the molecular level within
such a prestigious publication as The the cell. Our knowledge of the nutritional
Journal of Nutrition and the distinction
that it brought to one of its distinguished 1 Professor and Chairman—Department Com
teachers. All in all, the marriage of The munity Health and Preventive Medicine, Jeffer
Journal of Nutrition, Cowgill and Yale son Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19107.
12E
AIN HISTORY
and biochemical process at the cellular tor. It became obvious that Dr. Cowgill, as
level now opens up new vistas for the ap Editor, functioned without bias or favori
plication of the accumulated knowledge of tism, but rather worked with all authors to
nutrition to the benefit of mankind and to the utmost to finalize a manuscript that was
utilize nutrition more aggressively and ap acceptable and of which both the Editor
propriately both in the prevention of dis and the author would be justifiably proud.
ease and in the clinical management of a I soon learned to contribute to reviewing Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/4/11e/4688147 by guest on 07 January 2023
host of medical problems. This process incoming manuscripts and identifying the
will continue. best reviewers for a particular paper. I also
learned that reviewers have their own
Reflections on the Editor and Editorship idiosyncrasies, and who sometimes plagued,
An editor is defined "as a person having but most often pleased the Editor. I en
managerial and sometimes policymaking joyed my unofficial apprenticeship as an
responsibility for the editorial part of a editorial assistant and felt quite honored,
publishing firm or of a newspaper, maga from time to time, when I had an oppor
zine or the like. Among the duties of an tunity to fill in for brief periods for Dr.
editor are to collect, prepare and arrange Cowgill. Naturally, I did not exercise the
materials for publication and to revise or editorial responsibility of final decision
correct a manuscript." It has been said, making, but would contribute my observa
"The work of a good editor, like the work tions and recommendations with other re
of a good teacher, does not reveal itself viewers, for Dr. Cowgill.
directly; it is reflected in the accomplish Dr. Cowgill practiced the fine art of
ment of others. A good editor is generous, writing rejections in a scholarly, gentle
sensitive, tactful, modest, patient and imag manly, and kindly way; most often with a
inative—he must be unfailingly tuned in." good word of encouragement to keep work
An editor must not develop the delusion ing in a promising field of research and not
that he is writing the writer's work and become discouraged. I recall his view that
above all, he must practice the art of the major reasons for rejection were often
anonymity. A good editor derives a par related to expansive over interpretations
ticular form of enjoyment from helping that were unjustified by the experimental
other people by bringing their writing to data.
the best possible level of clarity and per Perhaps the most vivid recollection that
fection. Furthermore, an editor who does I have regarding Dr. Cowgill's editorship
his job particularly well may in fact find was the time and painstaking effort that he
it difficult to explain to others just exactly expended to improve a manuscript, par
what it is that he does. ticularly in making it more lucid in the
It was my good fortune to appear on the presentation of data. Dr. Cowgill had a
scene at Yale in the Nutrition Division of great knack for the tabular presentation of
the Department of Physiological Chemis information or data, and for conservation of
try, with Dr. George R. Cowgill, July 1, space. Space limitations then, as always,
1946. Almost from the beginning I was presented a major problem for every editor.
indoctrinated into some of the mysteries Another enjoyable learning experience
and techniques of editorship. Dr. Cowgill, related to manuscript conferences with Dr.
with consummate patience and great detail, Cowgill and Dr. Rebecca Hubbell, a most
reviewed the process of publishing a manu valued editorial assistant. Not uncom
script in The Journal of Nutrition. I must monly, manuscript conferences would lead
say I was impressed! I was soon to learn to interesting debates and sometimes even
the joys of having a paper accepted and heated arguments regarding the pros and
also the agonies of rejection, as some of my cons of reviewers' editorial remarks, the
own research crossed the path of the Edi Editor's opinions, and Dr. Hubbell's con
13E
AIN HISTORY
cerns about manuscript content and mode was particularly useful in the development
of presentation in the course of reaching of knowledge of folic acid and vitamin B12.
the Editor's decisions. Naturally, the Edi These techniques also enabled the evalu
tor had the final word, but always exer ation of the effects of nutrient deficiencies
cised it in consideration of the comments much more rapidly than with the tradi
and recommendations of other reviewers, tional research methods based on growth
as well as those of the editorial assistant. and development of experimental animal Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/4/11e/4688147 by guest on 07 January 2023
One of the great stimulations and re species.
wards of editorship for Dr. Cowgill was The clinical chemist's contributions were
observing the new developments and prog notable and greatly enhanced our knowl
ress being made in the continuing develop edge of the nutrient content of animal tis
ment of young, creative and innovative sues, blood and urine, with the develop
investigators. For Dr. Cowgill, it was ment and evolution of chemical assays that
gratifying to see the growth of the Science could be applied to very small samples.
of Nutrition that he loved so well. For studies in human nutrition, the prog
Dr. George R. Cowgill wore the mantle ress of research was greatly dependent
of editorship with dignity, meticulous care, upon our being able to measure things,
kindly guidance and scholarly leadership. sometimes in extremely microamounts.
The Journal of Nutrition gained in scien The development of the many physical
tific stature during his editorship and docu chemical tools, such as the spectropho
mented by hundreds of excellent papers tometer and all of its ramifications, further
the progress in the Science of Nutrition added to the nutritionist's ability to cope
during the twenty years of his editorship. with the mysteries of nutrient analysis. The
blending of the competencies and tools
The Advancement of Nutrition Research— afforded by the microbiologist, the clinical
19391959 chemist, the organic chemist, and the
Research can advance only as fast as ex physical chemist, provided more sophisti
perimental technology is developed and cated research approaches to quantify
applied, particularly in the area of meth more accurately the nutritional needs of
odology. This is certainly true of the Sci animals and man. This chain of develop
ence of Nutrition! ments and applications is recorded in pub
The development and application of syn lications extending over this twenty year
thetic diets, purified mineral salts and era in The Journal of Nutrition.
crystalline vitamins substantially enhanced The use of highly purified, chemically
research study of a host of animals and defined diets permitted in the years from
their extension to studies of the nutritional 1939 onward demonstration of the nutri
status of man. The availability of purified tional essentiality of many trace elements,
amino acids further provided the oppor including molybdenum, vanadium, alumi
tunity to enhance our knowledge of the num, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium,
qualitative and quantitative amino acid arsenic, cobalt, fluorine and iodine. It is of
requirements of many species of animals, interest, that the explosion of nutritional
including humans. research related to the trace minerals in
The observation that microorganisms, recent years had its origins early in the
particularly lactic acid bacilli, need spe 19391959 era.
cific nutrients opened a new field of in The Impact of War on Nutrition Research
vestigation, utilizing microorganisms as
analytical tools to study the nutrient con The establishment of the Nutrition Foun
tent of foods, including fresh and pro dation in 1941 with the leadership of Dr.
cessed foods from all parts of the world. Charles Glen King stimulated new research
The application of microbiological assays findings in many laboratories supported by
14E
AIN HISTORY
the Nutrition Foundation. The leadership stitutions throughout the country. Increas
of the Foundation realized that "if all that ing numbers of young men and women be
we know about nutrition were applied to came interested in the science of nutrition
modern society, the result would be an and responded to the opportunities that it
enormous improvement in public health." provided to learn more about the role of
Fruition of this prediction was made mani food and nutrition.
fest in the development of food enrich George Cowgill ended his 20 year Edi Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/4/11e/4688147 by guest on 07 January 2023
ment, which probably represents one of torship in 1959. In the Proceedings of the
the most significant public health measures 23rd Annual Meeting of the American In
enacted in this century. stitute of Nutrition (4) there is a recorded
During the World War II years, extraor resolution honoring Dr. George R. Cowgill,
dinary efforts were made in a number of Editor.
laboratories to obtain information on the "The American Institute of Nutrition
effects of cooking and processing losses on wishes to express its great appreciation to
the nutritive value of foods and the chang Dr. George R. Cowgill, Editor of The
ing nutritional requirements under stress. Journal of Nutrition for the past twenty
Extensive studies were conducted on the years. The members of the society are in
nutritional quality of food rations that had debted to Dr. Cowgill for his great contri
been developed by the Armed Forces butions throughout these twenty years,
Quartermaster Corps. The shocking physi during which he edited 49 volumes of The
cal status of draftees, showing evidence of Journal. His patience, meticulous care,
present or past malnutrition, alerted the kindly guidance and scholarly leadership
country to the importance of improving have been a major influence within our
nutritional status through improvement of society. For these and more, we are deeply
our food supplies. The establishment of gratified."
The Food and Nutrition Board of the A note of appreciation was unanimously
National Research Council, organized in approved, expressing the society's sincere
1940, led to major contributions with the appreciation to Dr. Rebecca Hubbell for
development of recommended dietary al her long and excellent services as Editorial
lowances for nutrients known to be re Assistant to Dr. Cowgill.
quired by man. It was noted that during the Editorship
of Dr. Cowgill, 66 society members had
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION served on the Editorial Board and appre
The period of 1939 to 1959 proved to be ciation was also expressed to them.
a prolific era of growth and maturation A peer review journal, such as The Jour
for the Science of Nutrition, documented nal of Nutrition, reflects the progress of a
by the hundreds of nutrition scientists who science and attempts to present the truth
contributed the thousands of pages of pub based on the level of knowledge at any
lished manuscripts in the 49 volumes of one time. In the words of Aristotle, "The
The Journal appearing during this period. search for truth is in one way hard and in
The challenge of World War II exerted a another way easy, for it is evident that no
tremendous impact both on the nutrition one can master it fully, nor miss it wholly.
scientific community, as well as on the pub But each adds a little to our knowledge of
lic in general and brought to a very high nature and from all the facts assembled
level an awareness of the importance of there arises a certain grandeur." Such it is
food and nutrition in the maintenance of with the recorded history of the Science of
health and the management of disease. An Nutrition, as published in The Journal of
increasing emphasis on nutrition education Nutrition, 19391959, and before and
and research was evident in academic in beyond.
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