Cecil Webb-Johnson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1879 (1879) |
| Died | 23 June 1930(1930-06-23) (aged 50–51) |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, writer |
Cecil Webb-Johnson (1879 – 23 June 1930) was a Britishphysician,dietitian and writer.
Webb-Johnson was born inStoke-on-Trent. His brother was surgeonAlfred Webb-Johnson.[1] Webb-Johnson was educated atOwens College, Manchester andLondon Hospital.[1] He graduatedM.B. in 1903. He worked as clinical assistant atChelsea Hospital for Women and was an assistant medical officer to Staffordshire County Asylum in 1906.[1]
In 1914, he was joint honorary secretary of the Section of Naval and Military Medicine and Surgery.[1] Having joined theTerritorial Force a few years beforeWorld War I, he served during the war as a major with theRoyal Army Medical Corps of theBritish Army in India and worked as a civil surgeon and officer at the station hospital inDum Dum. He was also a medical officer at hospitals inCalcutta,Lucknow andAllahabad.[1]
He operated his own private practice in London and was clinical assistant at the National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart.[1]
Webb-Johnson took interest in dietetics and treatingobesity.[1] He was concerned about the negative effects ofovereating and described this as "one of the curses of modern civilisation."[2] He opposedtobacco use by women as he believed it had the tendency to make them look under-nourished and their skin yellow.[3]
Webb-Johnson advocated alow-carbohydrate diet that was also low in fat and protein.[4] All cakes,cereals,dairy,sugar,potatoes, beans, carrots, peas,duck,goose,crab,lobster and fatty meats such asbacon,ham andpork were forbidden on his diet.[4] Webb-Johnson's controversial statement "Never drink milk; it is an unnatural food, save for the young", was printed in American newspapers.[5][6] He argued that it is not natural to drinkmilk after infancy, "nature does not intend milk to be taken after the purpose for which it was provided has been fulfilled."[5] He stated that milk makes people fat and causesconstipation, flatulence,rheumatism and if taken in excess anappendicitis.[5]Royal S. Copeland described Webb-Johnson's statements as absurd and commented that "they are opposed to the conclusion of the medical profession and of all scientists who have investigated the nutritional value and availability of milk as food."[5][7]
Webb-Johnson supported theNo Breakfast Plan, he recommended that obese or overweight people avoid eating any breakfast.[8]
