On Oct 11th 1994, one month before his 73rd birthday, Dr Glen Dettman died at breakfast of heart failure. He had suffered several serious heart attacks in past months and his death was not unexpected.
Ten years ago, in 1984, 2 great contributors to the world of vitamin C died within days of one another. They were Dr Fred Klenner, of Reidsville, North Carolina, and Dr Irwin Stone, of San Jose, California. They were good friends and had, over their lives, through their books, lectures, and journal articles, greatly advanced the cause of vitamin C.
Just a decade later, 2 more great contributors to the world of vitamin C have died within days of one another. They were Dr Linus Pauling, of Big Sur, California, and Dr Glen Dettman, of Avonsleigh, Australia. They, too, were good friends and greatly advanced the cause of vitamin C through their books, lectures, and journal articles. It's fitting these two greats have gone on together, as did Klenner and Stone.
Dr Dettman commenced private medical practice in 1952. He was Founder and Director of Oakleigh Pathology Service and engaged in research on antibiotics, bovine mastitis, phagocytosis, and staphylococci, including a modified autogenous vaccine. He was the author of over 50 technical papers and had been awarded the Australian Medal of Merit for outstanding scientific research. His last project provided the continuing stress that likely caused his death. This 5-year stress was the 1993 book, "Vitamin C - Nature's Miraculous Healing Missile", where he was the senior author and editor (with Dr Archie Kalokerinos and Dr Ian Dettman). It's publication was delayed 2 years by an incompetent typist, requiring continual proof-reading and correcting by an agonized Glen Dettman. In my opinion, she considerably shortened his life.
Whether his refusal to undergo a heart bypass operation, and his refusal to "take it easy", increased or decreased his time with us isn't known, but his refusal to sack the typist may have been his undoing. Glen was just too nice a guy to fire anyone.
Except for his atrocious puns, he was the perfect friend. He was congenial, God-fearing, and altruistic beyond words. He was also a devoted husband to Nancy and a caring father to Ian, Clive, and Robin. We'll miss his humor, his intellectual honesty, his energy, and all those fine traits that formed his character. But what the world will miss most are those unauthored papers, unmade phone calls and those unwritten letters. Many people will die prematurely because Glen did. Many babies, too.
But there's a happy thought here: we must realize that just 73 years ago, Glen had an infinitesimally small chance of ever experiencing this wonderful life on earth. The odds against it were huge - but the right sperm got to the right egg and the soul named Glen Dettman was made! The sorrow we feel at his passing is nothing compared to our delight in knowing that Glen was indeed born and that we were able to spend a few precious moments with him and hopefully add some pleasure to his life.
With four of the great advocates having left us in the last 10 years, will the image of vitamin C diminish? Not on your life! Doctors Glen Dettman, Linus Pauling, Irwin Stone, Fred Klenner, and many others, have left behind a solid foundation of research and literature that is unchallangeable. Vitamin C will flourish as will the memory of Dr Glen Dettman.
Oscar Falconi
Saratoga, Calif.
Oct 13th 1994
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