(1798-1859)
William A. Alcott was an author of over 100 books and a proponent of vegetarianism with a keen interest in civil, social, moral, and religious reform. In 1837, he co-founded The American Physiological Society, which was established to teach physiology, anatomy, and the nutrition of a vegetarian lifestyle. He was also a founding member and first president of the American Vegetarian Society (est 1850) and played a leading role in spreading vegetarianism in the 1800s.
His best-known work, Vegetable Diet: As Sanctioned by Medical Men and By Experience in All Ages, is just as significant in the medical literature as it is in a vegetarian lifestyle. He later added many recipes, many of which were vegan, as Alcott promoted the health benefits of a healthy lifestyle without using animal products.
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”A vegetable diet lies at the basis of all reform.”
Dr. William Alcott – at the first meeting of the American Vegetarian Society – 1850