Not every person knows the name of Lunin Nikolai Ivanovich. But it was this scientist who at one time found out the beneficial properties of vitamins. Prior to this historic discovery, the nutritional value of foods consumed was determined solely by the presence of constituents such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Who is Lunin Nikolai Ivanovich? Biography, life path, contribution of a scientist to science - all this will be discussed in our article.
Early years
Lunin Nikolai Ivanovich was born on May 9, 1854 in the city of Dorpat (Tartu), which was located in the Livonian province of the Russian Empire. A boy was born in the family of the lexicographer Ivan Lunin. The father of our hero was famous as the author of the first ever Estonian-Russian dictionary. The head of the family was also fond of translating Orthodox literature into Estonian. Nikolai's mother, Anna Bakaldina, had no creative talents.
A young man studied at an ordinary gymnasium in his hometown. After graduating from the latter, he entered the Dorpat University. Here he was assigned to the Faculty of Medicine. It is noteworthy that at that timeDorpat University taught all subjects in German.
Our hero graduated from a prestigious university in 1878. However, N. I. Lunin decided not to leave Dorpat, or, as it began to be called, the University of Tartu. In order to further improve, he remained to work at the Department of Physiology. At first, the young man had an internship in major European cities for a year. In particular, the former student was engaged in improving his own qualifications in the best educational institutions in Berlin, Strasbourg, Paris and Vienna. Returning to the University of Tartu, Lunin began to make his first scientific experiments.
Medical practice
In 1882, the scientist moved to St. Petersburg. For the next few years, Nikolai Ivanovich worked at the Prince of Oldenburg Hospital, where he held the position of pediatrician. Then the outstanding professor Vladimir Nikolaevich Reitz organized a research center for the study of diseases of the younger generation at the Institute of Princess Elena Pavlovna. Soon, Nikolai Lunin was invited here, who became one of the most talented researchers and teachers on the course.
Community activities
In 1897, our hero became the head of an orphanage that functioned at the Elizabethan Hospital. From that moment on, the most important part of the scientist's life began to be occupied by active social activity. He was a member of the Society of German Physicians, was a member of the Department for the Establishment of Institutes, and chaired the Russian Geographical Society. Since 1925 NikolayIvanovich was engaged in consultations of the population on pediatrics in the field of ear, throat and nasal diseases.
The passion of a lifetime
Ivan Nikolaevich Lunin, in addition to fruitful work in the field of scientific research, was famous as a successful dog breeder. The outstanding researcher devoted more than 3 decades of his life to breeding, selection and improvement of Pointer dogs.
N. I. Lunin was a passionate hunter. One day he came up with the idea of breeding the perfect Russian cop. The scientist decided to create a new breed, using his experience in crossing animals. The result of many years of trial and error was first-class pointers that caused genuine delight in everyone who had to see them.
The dogs, which were the result of selection, combined the qualities necessary for hunting in the field, with a beautiful appearance and a powerful physique. The consolidation of this breed allowed Nikolai Ivanovich Lunin to stand on a par with the most prominent dog breeders in the world. To this day, pointers retain the glory of a brilliant achievement of domestic cynology. Until his death, the famous scientist remained the permanent chairman of various meetings and commissions in the field of breeding purebred dogs, and also repeatedly played the role of a judge during field trials and exhibitions. Active cynological and social activities allowed Nikolai Ivanovich Lunin to become a person whom Russian dog breeders were equal to for decades.
Prerequisites for the discovery of vitamins
Even at the end of the 19th century, mankind did not have any information about the existence of vitamins. Scientists believed that for the he althy functioning of the body, it is enough to have only fats, proteins and carbohydrates in food. As it turned out later, thanks to the research of Nikolai Ivanovich Lunin, things were different.
In ancient times, people often suffered from such pathological manifestations as scurvy, rickets, night blindness. Diseases were a consequence of the development of avitaminosis. Often, such ailments affected sailors, expedition members, travelers, soldiers, prisoners, as well as the population of besieged cities. All these people lacked vitamins due to a deficiency in the diet of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Scientists and doctors have long tried to prove that the above diseases are caused by infections, as well as the penetration of food poisons and toxins into the body. This went on until the outstanding Russian scientist made his discovery.
Lunin Nikolai Ivanovich: vitamins
In 1880, a Russian researcher presented to the scientific community the results of his experiments, noted in a dissertation en titled "On the Importance of Inorganic S alts for Animal Nutrition." It was in this work that the existence of vitamins and their role in the life of organisms was first noted.
The prerequisite for the discovery was a series of laboratory studies. Nikolai Lunin decided to take experimental mice, dividing them into several groups. The scientist fed some rodents with an organic composition, the fundamental components of which were mineral s alts, water, fats, proteins and carbohydrates. To another group, the researcher offered natural cow's milk.
Mice of the first category died for several weeks. The rest of the experimental subjects who used the natural product remained normal. Based on the results obtained, Nikolai Ivanovich concluded that milk contains previously unknown trace elements, without which the body cannot do. The final step was taken by the Polish researcher Casimir Funk, who took advantage of Lunin's work and synthesized vitamins from organic substances chemically.
Further research
In the 1920s, researchers determined that when vitamin B known to science at that time was dissolved in water, its derivatives were formed, such as B1, B 2, B3. The discovery made it possible to identify a number of other substances indispensable for the body, in particular, vitamins B12 (cyanocobalamin), B9 (folic acid), B 5 (pyridoxine) and others. In total, scientists have registered several dozen previously unknown compounds. Soon, methods were developed for obtaining vitamins artificially.
In conclusion
In 1934, Nikolai Ivanovich officially retired. The outstanding researcher lived for another 3 years and left our world in 1937. His body was buried next to the teacher Karl Rauchfus on Volkovskycemetery in Saint Petersburg. Later, a street and a lane in his hometown of Tartu were named after Nikolai Lunin. Also, Vitamiyni Street appeared here, which got its name in honor of the discovery of vitamins by scientists.
