The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th. 1924. FOOD REFORM AND CANCER.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th. 1924. FOOD REFORM AND CANCER.

There is a quickening interest in the matter cf food reform in order to attempt something whereby the increase of cancer among nations may bo at least ariested, if not decicased. Proature decay and death of the population is a serious matter from all points of view. Ilr. Thacker, a well-known figure in Christchurch, has been taking up the subject of cancer. While abroad lately he saw and heard the

latest in the most advanced clinics, and lie has set about imparting knowledgo on the subject .broadcast. Last Saturday at a public lecture in one of the principal hat's of the city there was

a crowded attendance, and as an outcome a league dealing with food reform, with an anti-cancer objective was formed. The relation between diet and disease is much closer, it can he well understood, than is usually appreciated l,y the public. People in robust health go ahead merrily and unthinkingly till checked by some insidious complaint which overtakes them unwarily, perhaps !il' thoughtless nets of dieting,. In

sin h eases the disease is id ten well established before its hold is realised. This is the en.se generally with earner. \\hieh is mast insidious in its habits, taking root so often in the most ic--1111 to parts of the system. In the course ef his to;i.al address on the Mil jc t referred to, l>r. 'I hacker said lie did not want his aiiilieme to ehange tlV.ir mind, but lie wanted them to start thinking in a iliUVrent direetiun. Kadinm, to be introduced at the ( hrist'hiirih 110-; ital, would be a

great and gin: ions institution under Hi b'oiiuii k. Tt would in l cure lamer, but it would sometimes arrest the disease, and it would do another great and glorious tiling; it would take the lain and agony away. They wanted to do more than that, however; they wanted to start after Dr. Truby King bad done with llte bnbies to tea'll people to feed the children and the proper lood light on to the age el twentylive. lie believed that the alleviation of lain by twilight deep and oilier tilings could be achieved in another w ay bv the light kind of diet. Fresh food Was the bo-t food; iL was i|iliek food. There were fifty thousand people dying of cancer in Great Britain annually. In England the total deaths were “00.0(10; of these 393.000 die ! «-.f epidemic diseases. This meant that the whide community in (treat Britain was so ludow par that this great number died or pieked 11 1 infectious disease. It meant- that So out id 1(10 people were ill. in some degree or other. In Great Britain tinder the insurance benefit, the sum of twenty-live millions was paid to the doctors for a! lending to sick penile. It was only education that would make I'l-np'e think, and when they did that t' ev Mould establish public o'- iiiion ; tlml Mas the obji-i l of rivaling the l-'“<-d lielerm l.eague. With regard to the disi i iminatioii between food he said green foods Meritin' best for the human ccunomy. TTe asked why people should wait till they Mere sick before they i-onsiilled themselves about their health. They should say: “We are going t*> get rid of the dead food in tins. We are going to get rid of the white Ilnur.” lie understood that since Mr Deveroaiix had been writing to the papers on the bread .subject, the output from one nliolemc.nl bread shop bad gone up enormously. If the food reform league was formed lie suggested that they should go to one of the best restaurants in the city and ask the pn.pi ictor to put on a quick lu.ncli - not speed in service ■but tli(> lunch of “quirk”, fresh foods. Before concluding. Dr. Thacker promised that at the finish of the series of lectures lie Mould have printed a set of rules dra.Mii up on the basis on which In- had been talking to bis audiences.