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Studies in the History of Natural Sciences  2021, Vol. 40 Issue (2): 246-261    DOI:
ARTICLES     
Joseph Needham and Nutrition Research in China during World War II
WANG Gong1, YANG Jian2
1. Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
2. Department of History of Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Abstract  After World War I, British scientists took the lead in exploring the nutritional safeguarding of military and civilian personnel from the perspectives of animal science and biochemistry. The famous British biochemist Joseph Needham also took an interest in nutrition research in this field. After the outbreak of World War II, the nutritional safeguarding of military and civilian personnel was a major issue facing by all countries. Since Britain had a good wartime nutrition guarantee system, its military and civilians were protected from hunger. Prior to Joseph Needham's arrival in China in 1943, the theory and experience of safeguarding nutrition in wartime security in the field of animal science in Britain had been introduced to China, and it was made use of by Chinese scientists to solve nutrition problems both on the battlefield and the rear. Needham also introduced nutritional research in the field of biochemistry to Chinese scientists through material assistance, academic lectures, and personal discussions during his inspection of many scientific research institutions in wartime China. He also introduced the wartime nutrition research achievements made by Chinese scientists to the West. As a scientist, Joseph Needham promoted the further exchanges and cooperation of the World Anti-Fascist Scientific Community in this field through his personal participation.

Key words： Joseph Needham      Anti-Japanese War      nutrition science      wartime nutrition guarantee system      Scientific Anti-fascist Community     
Received: 09 May 2020      Published: 27 January 2022
ZTFLH:  N09  
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WANG Gong, YANG Jian. Joseph Needham and Nutrition Research in China during World War II. Studies in the History of Natural Sciences, 2021, 40(2): 246-261.

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http://www.shns.ac.cn/     OR     http://www.shns.ac.cn/Y2021/V40/I2/246

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