John Rivers (1945-1989): his contribution to research on polyunsaturated fatty acids in cats

John Rivers was a remarkable person, with enormous courage and a very generous spirit. He made a significant and long-lasting impact on the science of nutrition, disaster relief and the lives of those with whom he worked. His contribution to the understanding of the essential fatty acid requirements and metabolism in the cat while working at the Nuffield Institute of Comparative Medicine is described in this paper, together with background information on the polyunsaturated fatty acid research undertaken in the Biochemistry Department at the Institute.