Pills and Posters Don't Give Health

Chronicle (Levin), 9 February 1949, Page 5

Pills and Posters Don't Give Health

Press Assactation.)

(Per

AUCKLAND, Feb. 8. The part that pills and posters pla> In the alleviation and prevention of i. vitamin deliciency in diet, was discuss ed by medieal delegates to the Pacih .Science Congress. It was stated tha' tliere was a fgmarkable consumption o vitamin B in New Zealand but it wa. obViOUs that the wrOng people -weri taking it and it was doubtful whethe/ pills would overcojne all the effects o a wrong diet. Other speakers suggested that .propa ganda for better nutrition should bc more ditect, coneeittratillg on plaii: •itatefliehts such ad ."rnilk is best' ivhich many people would, after seeing fchein freciuently repeated, eome to accept as true. Dr. Mhriel Bell, of the nutrition re search department of Otago Universitt said that nutrional deficiency still Cxisted in spite of an intense pubJicity eampaign beginning in the schools, which had been underthken by the i)e partment of Health. However, publie ity did reach a considerable number oi' people so she felt it was worth whilf going on writh. The discussion arose following tlupresentation of a paper by Dr. Wilto» E. Henley, of Auckland, dealing witt the factor of diet. Dr. Henley said. that. in his experience, one of the most fre quent causes of laek of proper balance was living alone. A solitary spinster or widow in rooms ancL ,an old man alone in a bach, were frequently eontent with bread ancl bntter and tfea. Meat ration ing and a single eoupon book incrensed their difficulties in ivar time and they cOuld seldom be bothered to cook for themselves. •