Question

Who coined the word vitamine (vitamin)?

• A. Darwin
• B. Pasteur
• C. Funk
• D. Landeck

Hint:

Think of the scientist who studied beriberi and isolated a compound from rice husk in 1912.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understand what the question is asking.
The question wants the name of the scientist who first used the word vitamine, the term that later became vitamin. This is a simple fact from the history of nutrition science.

Step 2: Recall who coined the term.
In 1912, the Polish biochemist Casimir Funk was studying the disease beriberi. He found that a tiny amount of a nitrogen containing compound present in rice husk could cure this disease. Since the compound belonged to a class called amines and seemed vital for life, he joined the words vital and amine to form vitamine.
Later, scientists found that not every such compound was truly an amine, so the final e was dropped and the word settled into vitamin, the term used today.

Step 3: Check why the other names do not fit.
Charles Darwin is known for the theory of evolution and natural selection. His work has nothing to do with nutrition or vitamins.
Louis Pasteur gave the germ theory of disease and is remembered for pasteurization and vaccines against rabies and anthrax. He did not name vitamins either.
Landeck is not linked with any known discovery in the history of nutrition science.

Step 4: Final answer.
The word vitamine, later shortened to vitamin, was coined by Casimir Funk while working on beriberi.
\[ \boxed{\text{Funk}} \]