McCarrison Society

Health Through Nutrition, A Birthright

Walter Yellowlees: History of the McCarrison Society

Walter Yellowlees: History of the McCarrison Society

As set out in appendix 1 of his book “A Doctor in the Wilderness”

Appendix 1

“The McCarrison Society.

At a Soil Association weekend conference, held at Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury, in 1965, a small group of members, qualified doctors or dentists, decided to form a society devoted to the study of nutrition and health, membership to be limited to applicants holding a degree in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science. After a series of preliminary meetings and discussions arranged by the late Dr James Mount, the McCarrison Society was established in 1966. The late Dr Innes Pearce, well known for her work as the co-founder of the Peckham Pioneer Health Centre, gave valuable advice. We hoped to enrol practising doctors, dentists and vets and to hasten the understanding of prevention by sound nutrition as advocated by McCarrison.

But professionals did not seem eager to join, and membership increased but slowly. A number of successful and well-attended summer conferences were held in the 1970s at Oxford thanks to the enthusiasm and skilful management of the then secretary, Dr Barbara Latto, arid the faithful treasurer, dental surgeon Ken Rose. In 1982 Dr Andrew Strigner, the then chairman of the society, cooperated with Dr Hugh Sinclair of Oxford in arranging anew publication of McCarrison’s Nutrition and Health, originally published by Faber. Another chairman, Dr Kenneth Barlow, in association with A. B. Academic Publishers launched an international journal, Nutrition and Health, which continues under the editorship of Dr Edward Kirby. In 1976 membership was extended to applicants with a qualification in dietetics or allied sciences. A Scottish and a North England group have more recently been established. The present chairman is Professor Michael Crawford, The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Nutrition, Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, Hackney Road, London E2 8PS, tel. 071-739 8422. President, Professor David Morley, Institute of Child Health, London University, Secretary, Richard Longhurst, Centre for International Child Health, London University. The Scottish Chairman is Dr Cedric Devoil, 5 Albert Street, Arbroath, Tayside, tel. 0241 72614. Scottish Secretary is Tom Smith, Loanhead, Kingskettle, Fife KY7 PJ.”

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