Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J F Brock.
Studies performed at the University of Cape Town on the metabolism of albumin have been reviewed. The control of albumin metabolism in protein energy malnutrition, in acute exposure to alcohol and after partial hepatectomy in the rat is discussed.
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A familiar medical contrast is presented as part of a modern medical problem. The problem it reflects is the relative importance of preventive and curative services for medical practitioners, which is already, or will shortly resolve itself into, a dilemma of whether medical men should stress preventive medicine to the possible detriment of curative medicine. It is submitted that the solution to both problem and dilemma should be sought against the background of history and philosophy, where they are seen to be expressions of an eternal paradox--that of the relative value of the individual in relation to the family, group, or community. If the submission is valid, then the answer to the problem is not a purely medical exercise, nor is the dilemma purely a 'doctor's dilemma'. The paradox, being eternal, is not soluble in our time, but the community must, on the urging of the medical profession, find a general solution to the problem--'a public consensus for out time'. This must be followed by public demand for a parliamentary solution--'decision-making ex consensus'. It is argued that although the latter programme does not come easily to democracy, it can be achieved through public consensus if action is taken by the leaders of thought in appropriate categories. Initiative must be exercised by the medical profession, but public consensus can only be achieved in consultation with the leaders of all learned professions, civil servants and legislators. It must then be presented fairly and without bias to the public. In the meantime, the medical profession must formulate its own 'medical consensus' and the doctor must resolve his personal dilemma according to formulated law, public or medical consensus or, in the last resort, according to his conviction and conscience. This method of solving a problem will almost certainly be applicable to other and more recent medical problems such as the population explosion, selective abortion and euthanasia.
My title is, of course, a parody of a well-known aphorism "There is many a slip twixt the cup and the lip". It opens up consideration of the many processes through which food has to pass after entering the mouth and before the contained nutrients satisfactorily nourish the individual cells of which the body is composed. It implies that the consumption of an adequate and nutritious diet does not necessarily ensure good health. The aim of this paper is to show that whereas we know very well what quantity of nutrients need to be consumed for health, we still know comparatively little about what happens to the foods after they have been consumed and started on the way to their metabolism by the cells of the body. Some conditioning factors are well-known temproary or permanent disturbances of normal metabolism and excretion. Less is known about the role of psychological and allergic factors.
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Albumin synthesis and catabolism were respectively measured by McFarlane's (1963) sodium [(14)C]carbonate method and I-labelled albumin in hypophysectomized rats, both untreated and treated with growth hormone. Hypophysectomy resulted in a decrease in both albumin synthesis and catabolic rates. These changes as shown by pair-feeding experiments could not be ascribed to decreased food intake alone. Growth hormone was shown to partially restore both albumin synthesis and catabolic rates. It is proposed that growth hormone stimulates albumin synthesis and that its effect on albumin catabolism is secondary to changes in the mass of the intravascular albumin pool.
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