author

A. W. Duncan

An early food writer with a chemist’s eye, this author explored how everyday eating affects health long before modern nutrition became a popular topic. Best known for a concise guide published by the Vegetarian Society of Manchester, the work blends practical advice with a strong belief that diet should be grounded in careful observation rather than hype.

1 Audiobook

The Chemistry of Food and Nutrition

The Chemistry of Food and Nutrition

by A. W. Duncan

About the author

A. W. Duncan is known from the early 20th-century nutrition book The Chemistry of Food and Nutrition. In the Project Gutenberg text, the book identifies him as A. W. Duncan, F.C.S., Analytical Chemist, and shows the 1905 edition was published in Manchester by the Vegetarian Society.

The preface explains that the work grew from much shorter earlier editions in 1884 and 1898, suggesting Duncan returned to the subject over many years as ideas about diet and health developed. His writing stresses that food and health claims should be based on science and experience, not sweeping statements or fashionable enthusiasm.

Today, he is remembered mainly for that compact but influential-looking guide, which connects chemistry, dietetics, and vegetarian principles in a clear, practical way for general readers.