Irwin Stone and vitamin C

Irwin Stone (1907-1984) was one of the earliest scientist to realize vitamin C’s potential. Dr. Stone was educated as a biochemist and chemical engineer who began considering its use as a food preservative. 

Working as a chemist for Wallenstein Company, New York in 1932 he became interested in the study of vitamin C.

Irwin Stone has summarized the supporting evidence the use of high levels of ascorbic acid for improving resistance to poisoning from heavy metals such as lead in the industrial environment.

Irwin Stone and Dr Linus Pauling has proposed of vitamin C advocated for prophylaxis and treatment of common cold. Dr Pauling was one of the most influential chemist in history and most important scientist of the 20th century.

Irwin Stone became interested with Dr. Linus Pauling’s large dose vitamin treatment. Dr Pauling at that time was excited of the large amounts of vitamin B3 for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Irwin introduced the concept of high dose vitamin C to Dr. Pauling and at his suggestion, Pauling began taking several grams a day. Over the next three decades, Pauling became an outspoken advocate for high dose vitamin C.

Both of them believed that humans’ inability to make their own vitamin C helped explain not only why they need it in their diet but also why they need so much of it.

The Healing Factor: Vitamin C Against Disease, written by Irwin in 1972, noted that present day cancer therapy virtually ignores the potential of vitamin C as a biochemical stress combatant a detoxicant and anti-carcinogenic agent.

He summarized years of work on the importance of vitamin C. Dr. Irwin Stone passed way on May 4, 1984 at the age of 77.
Irwin Stone and vitamin C

History of Vitamin C

From 1875 to 1905, there was, growing confusion over the cause of scurvy. It has remained a constant threat to humans, causing death and misery.

In 1747, the British physician, J. Lind, found that two oranges and one lemon a day could relieve the symptoms of scurvy.

Even though Lind had proven the scurvy was due to the missing nutrient, the exact nature of this vital nutrient continued to puzzle scientists for the next two centuries.

Vitamin C was first isolated in 1928, and in 1932 it was proved to be the agent which prevents scurvy. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi identified ‘scorbutic principle’ in 1928 and isolated hexuronic acid as the factor that preventing browning of decaying fruit. He was awarded the Nobel prize for this feat.

The name was changed to vitamin C following structural identification and to ascorbic acid in recognition of it ability to prevent scurvy.

The name for vitamin C that derives from the Latin word ascorbic, which means ‘without scurvy.’

In 1974, Cameron and Pauling suggested that vitamin C might play a role in the supportive care of cancer patients.  

History of Vitamin C