Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Folic acid

  • Marmite versus Vegemite

    James Franklin George Dunea Chicago, Illinois, United States   Marmite and Vegemite are similar but not quite the same. Both are classified as spreads and are typically spread with a knife on bread or crackers. They may be regarded as cousins and are both derived from yeast. Marmite, though discovered by a German, is a…

  • Marmite: Its place in medical history, Lucy Wills, and the discovery of folic acid

    James L. FranklinChicago, Illinois, United States On a recent visit to Botswana in southern Africa, the author was introduced to a food spread known as Marmite.* Apparently very popular in Africa, a distinctive jar of this condiment was present on the table at every meal. Our South African Apex Expedition guide, Liam Rainier, a consummate…

  • Spherocytosis

    Andrea Lollo New York, New York, United States   Spherocytes as seen in the blood smear of a patient with hemolytic anemia. Photo by Ed Uthman on Flickr. CC BY 2.0. “Hereditary spherocytosis is a common inherited disorder that is characterised by anaemia, jaundice, and splenomegaly.”1   It was odd, of course, for a ten-year-old…

  • A silent birth

    Rose A. Devasia Louisville, Kentucky, United States   Photography by Salihan Laugesen As a physician married to another physician, I tried to do everything right during my first pregnancy. I took prenatal vitamins and folic acid before trying to conceive. I avoided any substance that could harm my baby. Caffeine, sushi, deli meat, wine—gone. I…