The Story of Orthomolecular Medicine

In the fall of 1965, Dr. Wendell Belfield, veterinarian, drew 2000 milligrams of sodium ascorbate (buffered Vitamin C) into a hypodermic syringe and injected it intravenously into a dog infected with the canine distemper virus. This one procedure was the beginning of orthomolecular medicine in a veterinary practice. "Orthomolecular medicine" is the preservation of health and the treatment of disease by the provision of the optimum molecular constitution of the body, especially the optimum concentrations of substances that are normally present in the human body and are required for life. This is a new branch of medicine established by the late Linus Pauling, Ph.D. -- a two time Nobel Prize-winner.

Since this early beginning, Dr. Belfield has dedicated his professional life to improve therapies in his small animal practice. Unfortunately, there were few commercially available vitamin/mineral formulas that would adequately serve his needs. Through the process of trial and error, Dr. Belfield has developed the necessary combinations of nutrients that are indicated for specific disease processes.

There is a tendency by many, in and out of the healing sciences, to trivialize vitamins and minerals beyond the treatment and prevention of deficiency diseases. Dr. Belfield has made a giant step beyond this archaic perception by administering nutrients in gram amounts that will treat, prevent, and control conditions other than deficiency diseases. The present day conception by most misinformed individuals is that "a vitamin is a vitamin" and there are no differences. To obtain optimum efficacy from a vitamin/mineral compound, there are six essential considerations:

1.Quality
2.Quantity
3. Source
4.Compatibilities
5. Form
6. Method of extraction from raw sources

Vitamin/mineral compounds formulated for humans administered to pets can be less effective than those formulated specifically for pets.

The U.S. government requires only a listing of ingredients and something called a "guaranteed analysis" on product labels. Important information that makes a product efficacious -- such as ingredient qualities, sources, and compatibilities are not required to be listed. Therefore, the label information does not offer the necessary information for a consumer to select the most efficacious products.

Dr. Belfield's endeavors were not well received by either the veterinary profession nor some pet fanciers. Desperate people do desperate things however, like contacting Dr. Belfield's veterinary hospital when conventional veterinary protocols have failed; these individuals, because of their successes through nutritional protocols, have become strong supporters and have encouraged others to become involved in orthomolecular medicine.

In recent years, scores of veterinarians have shown interest in this new aspect of veterinary medicine but have not had the literature resources for information.  This void has now been filled through the exciting textbook, Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine, published by Mosby.  Dr. Belfield is one of several contributing authors.  His chapter deals with the prevention, treatment, and control of diseases where conventional treatment protocols have not succeeded.

Dr. Belfield's Credentials

Dr. Belfield, now retired, was in private practice, in California, for more than three decades, and developed surgical procedures and nutritional treatment protocols to optimize pet health.  His pioneering clinical research into the use of vitamins and minerals to treat, prevent, and control disease processes in pets has been extensively tested in his own veterinary practice.  From that experience came the development of Orthomolecular Specialties line of unique animal nutritional formulas, made to human standards and sold by Dr. Belfield himself.  

Degrees and Certifications
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Tuskegee University, 1954

Fellow
International College of Applied Nutrition

Veterinary Licenses
State of California
State of Delaware

California Community College Instructor Credential
Consultant, Linus Pauling Institute for Science and Medicine
Advisor, Natura Pet Products

Publications

How To Have A Healthier Dog
with Martin Zucker, 1981

The Very Healthy Cat Book
with Martin Zucker, 1983

Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Contributing Author, 1997

Articles

Dr. Belfield's developments in orthomolecular and veterinary medicine have been published in several journals and magazines, including:

Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician: Vitamin C in the Treatment of the Canine and Feline Distemper Complex, 1967  

Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician: The Use of Insulin in Open Wound Healing, 1970  

Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician: The Dysplastic Dog Can Be Helped, 1971  
Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician: Partial Spay (Hysterectomy), 1972   

Veterinary Medicine/ Small Animal Clinician: Canine Orchiopexy, 1975  

Journal of the International Academy of Preventive Medicine: Megascorbic Prophylaxis and Megascorbic Therapy: A New Orthomolecular Modality in Veterinary Medicine, 1975  

Journal of the International Academy of Preventive Medicine: An Orthomolecular Approach to Feline Leukemia Prevention and Control, 1975  

Veterinary Medicine/Small Animal Clinician: Chronic Subclinical Scurvy and Canine Hip Dysplasia, 1976  

Lectures  

The Toxicity Myth
World Congress on the 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of Vitamin C, 1978

An Orthomolecular Approach to Feline Prevention and Control, Annual Orthomolecular Medical Society Seminar,1982

Articles about Dr. Belfield's work have appeared in many consumer publications including:

Prevention
Outdoor Life
The National Enquirer
San Jose Mercury News
San Francisco Chronicle
Sacramento Bee
Let's Live (US)
Let's Live (Japan)

Awards and Recognition

30 Year Award, Tuskegee University
Nature Prestige Award
Commendation: Community Classroom, Mayor of San Jose, CA

Letter of Recognition:  
Marcus A. Conant, M.D.
Director of AIDS Research Center
University of California School of Medicine at San Francisco, CA

Letter of Recognition:
T.D.Braden, D.V.M., MS
Head of Orthopedics
School of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University