The Ient Family: Family History

Wakamoto Tablets

Then Wakamoto tablets appeared. Now, these Wakamoto tablets were vitamin B. We were told they were three yen. I said, 'I’ll have a bottle of those.' So I took one Wakamoto tablet every day because I had beriberi, and after two or three of those, the beriberi went. The trouble is, getting beriberi and dysentery at the same time. The lavatories, which were just a hole in the ground with a bit of wood over the top, were quite a way away. If you tried to run while you had beriberi, it wasn’t the dysentery that killed you; you’d have a heart attack because you are carrying all this extra weight! Then they brought out what they called cod liver oil. Well, it had never been near a cod! [Laughter.] It was a bit greasy, so you just poured that over your rice and just ate the rice with the cod liver oil, and that helped me, I think.


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