The chemistry of famine: Nutritional controversies and the irish famine, c.1845-7

Abstract

The activities of Irish medical practitioners in relieving the impact of the Irish Famine (c.1845-52) have been well documented. However, analysis of the function of contemporary medico-scientic ideas relating to food has remained mostly absent from Famine histori-ography. This is surprising, given the burgeoning inuence of Liebigian chemistry and the rising social prominence of nutritional science in the 1840s. Within this article, I argue that the Famine opened up avenues for advocates of the social value of nutritional science to engage with politico-economic discussion regarding Irish dietary, social and economic transformation. Nutritional science was prominent within the activities of the Scientic Commission, the Central Board of Health and in debates regarding soup kitchen schemes. However, the practical inefcacy of many scientic suggestions resulted in public associations being forged between nutritional science and the inefciencies of state relief policy, whilst emergent tensions between the state, science and the public encouraged scientists in Ireland to gradually distance themselves from state-sponsored relief practices. © The Author 2012.