Benjamin F. Feingold, Doctor of Medicine, was a pediatric allergist from California, who proposed in 1973 that salicylates, artificial colors, and artificial flavors cause hyperactivity in children.
Education
Doctor Feingold received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1921, and an Doctor of Medicine in 1924, from the, Pennsylvania. He performed his internship at Passavant Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1924 to 1925. He did a fellowship in Pathology at the University of Göttingen, Germany in 1927.
Between 1928 and 1929, he worked under Professor Clemens von Pirquet.
Career
Hyperactivity is now classified as Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Education Doctor Feingold worked as the house officer at the children"s clinic of the University of Vienna, Austria from 1928 to 1929. From 1929 to 1932, he was clinical instructor of Pediatrics at the Northwestern University School of Medicine.
From 1932 to 1958, he worked as attending physician in Pediatrics and in Infectious Diseases at Los Angeles County General Hospital, Los Angeles, California. He also worked as attending physician in Pediatrics at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Los Angeles, California from 1932 to 1941, and at Los Angeles Children"s Hospital from 1932 to 1951.
In 1951, he joined the Kaiser Foundation Hospital and Permanente Medical Group, and established all of the Departments of Allergy for Northern California. From 1952 to 1969, he was Kaiser"s chief of Allergy, and the chairman of their central research committee.
Personal life They had four children, all born in Los Angeles, California. From 1941 to 1945 he was a commander in the United States Naval Reserve.
He and Lois were divorced in 1950.
To treat or prevent hyperactivity, Feingold suggested a diet that was free of salicylates, artificial colors, artificial flavors, BHA, and Butylated Hydroxytoluene. Although the diet was popular, scientific research found no good evidence that it was effective.