The Vitamin Murders is a riveting historical mystery told in two parts: first, the decline and fall of healthy eating; second, the murder of Jack Drummond and his family. By tracing the life of Drummond, Fergusson brings out the devastating downhill march of diets and the connection between the agrochemical industry, drugs, food and what has happened to the human body in the last 60 years. The beauty of it is the way - almost in the manner of John le Carr, (for example, The Constant Gardener see Mmegi 11 July 2003) - except that it isn't a novel - Fergusson brings in to his story the whole history of the relationship between France and Britain in the process. He got started on his investigations because of the birth of his first child and the discovery that his wife's breast milk was polluted and his body contained over 300 man-made chemicals that he would not have ingested if he had been born earlier (he's a 1980s man).Jack Drummond, born in 1891, was reared by an aunt and eventually, in 1944, became a fellow of the prestigious Royal Society. He was instrumental in changing the wartime diet of Britons through promoting cooking, gardening and feeding children in schools healthier foods. His research assistant at University College London, where Drummond was professor of biochemistry, was Ann Wilbraham, later his wife - she was murdered with him and their children in 1952 in France.
In 1939 Drummond published The Englishman's Food: A History of Five Centuries of English Diet, which brought him to Lord Woolton's attention, the then Minister of Food.
