Studies on the Mutual Effect of Suboptimal Oral Doses of Vitamin B12and Folic Acid in Pernicious Anemia

IN APRIL, 1950, Meyer and others1 announced their observations on the successful treatment of pernicious anemia by the daily administration of combined oral doses of 1.67 mg. of folic acid and 25 microgm. of vitamin B12. Since the individual administration of either of these doses was usually ineffective, it was suggested that "folic acid acts like 'intrinsic factor,' since it promotes the utilization of orally administered vitamin B12. ..." Because of known striking differences between the properties of folic acid and those of "intrinsic factor" of gastric juice, we were not satisfied with this explanation, which . . .