1955 - Nutrition

Nutrition

A USDA survey finds that one-tenth of U.S. families live on nutritionally "poor" diets, a healthy improvement over 1943 findings.

Britain's first fluoridation of community drinking water begins November 17 in Anglesey (see 1945).

Crest toothpaste contains stannous fluoride (see Gleem, 1952). Introduced by Procter & Gamble, it will become the top-selling U.S. dentifrice, encouraging other makers to introduce fluoride toothpastes.

Biochemist Dorothy Hodgkin discovers the composition of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), raising hopes that the vitamin can be synthesized for low-cost treatment of pernicious anemia and other deficiency diseases (see 1948).

Health-food advocate and publisher Bernarr MacFadden dies of jaundice after a 2-day fast at Jersey City, N.J., October 12 at age 87.