Question

Term “vitamin” was given by
A. James Lind
B. Sterling
C. Funk
D. J.C. Drummond

Answer 1

Hint: An organic molecule which is an essential micronutrient that is necessary for an organism in small quantities for the proper functioning of metabolism and its growth is termed as the vitamins. An organism cannot synthesize essential nutrients, either at all or not in sufficient quantities, and hence it must be obtained through the diet. The other three groups of essential nutrients, which are minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids, do not include vitamins.

Complete answer:
Option A. James Lind: James Lind was a Scottish doctor, who was a pioneer of naval hygiene in the Royal Navy. He developed the theory that citrus fruits cured scurvy by conducting one of the first ever clinical trials. The term vitamin was not given by him; hence option A is not correct.
Option B. Sterling: Sterling Brown Hendricks who was born on April \[13\], \[1902\], was an American agriculturist. He was notable for his research on the structural aspects of organic and inorganic chemistry, soil chemistry and nutrition and plant physiology. The term vitamin was not coined by sterling; hence option B is not correct.
Option C. Funk: Casimir Funk, was a Polish Jewish biochemist born in the year \[1884\]. Funk was the first one to introduce the concept of vitamins. He called it "vital amines" or "vitamins". He also proposed the hypothesis that other diseases like rickets, scurvy, pellagra, and coeliac disease, could also be potentially cured by vitamins. Hence option C is the correct answer.
Option D. J. C. Drummond: Sir Jack Cecil Drummond also called J. C. Drummond, was a distinguished biochemist. He is most known for his work on nutrition and how it applied to the rationed British diet during World War II. The term vitamin was not given by him; hence option D is not correct.

Hence, Option C. Funk is the correct answer.

Note:
The problem of pellagra was earlier investigated by Funk. He further suggested that change in the method of milling corn was the main reason for the outbreak of pellagra, but no attention was paid to his article on this aspect. When it was realized that vitamins need not be nitrogen-containing amines, the “e” at the end of “vitamin” was later removed.