NUTRITION WORK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 194, 2 September 1937, Page 10

NUTRITION WORK

Our Own Correspondent.)

Dr. Gunson Surveys Effects in Britain LEAGUE RESEARCH

(Ifrom

AUCKLA.ND, Last Mght. Gutlines of nutrition researeli wbicli is being carried out in Great Britain, inciuding a summary of the work oi the expert medical eommittee established in 1935 by the League of Nations Health Committee to conduct a nutrition inquiry, were gjiven by Dr. E. B. Gunson, a member of the Auckland Hospital Board, who returued by the Awatea after spending seven nionths iu Great Britain. wbere he worked with Sir John Orr, oue of. tho 1-1 inLernational experts on the conunittee. "Tho researck work wbich Sir Jolin is carryiug on at tlie Rowett Nutrition Rescarch Institute in Aberdeen is higlily iniportant," said Dr. Gunson. "The final conclusions of his eommittee will be submitted to the League of Nations Health Committee in September or October by our High Oominissioner, Mr W. J. Jordau, who will act as rapporteur at the Assembly meeting iu Geneva. .On Sir John's suggiestion I furnished a short preiiminary repoi't to show Mr Jordau the main points of the recommendations he will plaee belore the commitfcte. "One of the most important recommendations in the report is that each country should set up a nutrition committee. We told Mr JorcJan that it would. be helpful to nutrition and to the position of New Zealand among the nations if a natioiial nutrition committee wero established here. This has aiready been done in 11 other countries, inciuding Australia." Dr. Gunson dcscribed the experts working on tlie report as the best informed in tlie world. Their conclusions had become known as the "London Iteport," aud it was anticipatccl that for many years this tvould be the rutricians' Bible." tLt represented the combiiled work of experts over a period of 25 years. In it nutrition was treated not just as food control, but as digestion and absorption of food, the uses it was put to by the body, the elimination of waste material, and the effects of rest, exercise and social hygiene. In Britain, Dr. Gunson said, there had becn an incomparable diiference in the health of school children since the introduction of milk supplies at the schools. Even in the crowded quarters of Leeds and London, there had been a wonderful improvcment in the general physique. The link of agriculture with nutrition Was being strengthened by bodies aiming for social betterment. The aim was to establish a sound nutrition scheme iu conjunction with the reorientation of agriculture. Experts considered that 1,000,000 more dairy cows were n'eeded to provide an adequate milk supply, and therefore herds .were being extended widely. Tho interest of the Government in nutrition schemes was shown by the establishment of an advisory committee to advise it on nutrition problems in wartime. Official circles had been impressed by an army experiment in which 1000 B aud C grade men had been placed m camp by nutritionists and developed into A grade specimens by proper icexling and hygicno.