From 1933, Hou Xiangchuan was transferred to Shanghai Lei Shide Medical Research Institute, specializing in nutrition research. At this time, he began to pay attention to the prevention and treatment of malnutrition. The aggression of Japanese imperialism has caused profound disasters to the Chinese nation. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, a large number of refugees were displaced, and the food quality of ordinary people was poor. As a result, the number of patients suffering from malnutrition, especially vitamin deficiency, has greatly increased. During this period, Hou Xiangchuan directly participated in the rescue of war wounded and refugees. Through the clinical observation, research and analysis of a large number of malnutrition cases, combined with laboratory experiments and treatment results, the diagnosis and treatment methods of these malnutrition diseases are determined. At the same time, more than 65,438+000 papers on food vitamins and nutrition have been published at home and abroad. In the early 1940s, he first reported the symptoms, treatment methods and dosage of riboflavin deficiency in China. /kloc-in the winter of 0/949, a large number of officers and men of the China People's Liberation Army stationed in Shanghai suffered from "hydrangea wind" (cystitis), which could not be cured for a long time. After examination in Sichuan, it was diagnosed as riboflavin deficiency. After riboflavin supplementation, a large number of patients recovered quickly. Under his advice and technical guidance, the North China Army conducted a large-scale nutrition survey, and found that the selection of non-staple food, cooking methods and improper handling before cooking were the important reasons for malnutrition. Under his guidance, nutrition training courses were held for the army, which greatly reduced malnutrition.
Hou Xiangchuan is engaged in a wide range of research fields, and has made remarkable achievements in food nutrition, digestive physiology and pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he also studied the preparation, utility and irradiation technology of military rations. The rations of various arms and services he presided over were small in size, light in weight, easy to carry and eat, tightly packed and storable, and achieved satisfactory results through field tests. He also studied and improved the equipment for sailing food on board and the spare rations in case of accident. These achievements have been adopted by relevant departments and laid the foundation for the first generation of rations in our army. He is the first scientist in China to study and preserve food by using irradiation technology. His experiments proved that eight amino acids of rice and wheat flour had no obvious changes after γ -ray irradiation of 80 thousand roentgen. Rats, dogs and monkeys ate irradiated rice, and their weight, hemogram and food utilization rate did not change significantly. Dogs, monkeys, and people ate foods irradiated with different doses for several months to a year, and no adverse reactions were found.
Hou Xiangchuan loves the motherland and pursues progress. He took part in the May 4th Movement when he was young. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, he supported the Anti-Japanese struggle of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, purchased medical equipment and medicines for the New Fourth Army, and helped train medical personnel. He supported his son to participate in the revolutionary struggle, covered underground workers and introduced relatives and friends to the liberated areas to participate in medical rescue work. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, he gave up foreign advantages, broke through various obstacles and resolutely returned to China to welcome liberation.
He loved science and devoted his life to the revitalization of nutrition science in China. 198 1 year, although he was over eighty, he went to the United States to attend the 12th International Nutrition Conference. In order to re-establish the Nutrition Society of China, he made active preparations, joined nutritionists from different departments and published articles to publicize the importance of nutrition work. Finally, in the same year, the society was restored and the Journal of Nutrition was reissued. 1in March, 1982, I went to Tianjin from Shanghai to attend the symposium on nutritional needs of the whole army and gave a report. During the meeting, he was hospitalized due to illness, but he still insisted on reviewing manuscripts and writing papers. At the last breath of his life, he still cared about the development of nutrition science in China, and donated 3,465 books and materials collected for many years to the Institute of Military Health of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.
Hou Xiangchuan is knowledgeable, rigorous and helpful. He enjoys a high reputation in the field of nutrition at home and abroad, but he never pretends to be an authority and professor, and gives enthusiastic help and encouragement to those who seek advice. Many famous experts and scholars in the field of nutrition in China have benefited from his teaching and help. He was thrifty all his life and saved more than 30,000 yuan. After his death, according to his last wish, his children donated all their savings to the Nutrition Society of China, and established the Hou Xiangchuan Fund to reward nutrition scholars and outstanding nutrition workers. Hou Xiangchuan's contribution to the development of modern nutrition and biochemistry in China will always be engraved in people's hearts.
(Author: Gu Wenfang)