HEALTH FADS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1930, Page 6

HEALTH FADS

DOCTOR RIDICULES FADS. (United Pr£se Aenociaiion—By Electrlo Telegraph—Copyright). 'WINNIPEG, Aug. 28. At the British Medical Association Conference, Doctor Hutchison, ot London, presented a paper on “The Pursuit of Health,” in which lie commented on the present health fads, such as diets, exercise, the fear of microbes, etc. “The more you pursue health, the more it fl«es from you.” he said. . Professor Dixon, of Cambridge, dis'oussed drug addiction. LAUGHED TO SCORN. B.M.A. CONFERENCE. WINNIPEG, Ang|. 28Addressing the British Medical Association at Winnipeg to-night, Doctor Robert Hutchison, F.R.C.R., London, said that lie considered that, health was sooner found in an easy-going life than in what he scorned as worries about being fit, than in a life that was a succession of physical jerks, calory counting and germ avoidance. “What we need as individuals.’’ he said, “is not more knowledge, but a change, of heart.” He labelled a? cant what he termed the catch phrases, about “The Nation’s . health being the nation’s wealth!” “The country’s greatest asset,’’ lie said, ■“is character,. Let us. cultivate character, and let health look after . itself.”

“The diet faddist,” ,he said, “is perhaps the commonest and most malignant crank or faddist. The scientific, truth . about all of .this diet business is: Eat moderately, taking an ordinary mixed diet. Don’t worry about anything else! Likes and dislikes, however, should he listened to. They are Nature’s indication of what probably agrees or disagrees.” He laughed at the food fads. He said: “Leave raw vegetables, except salads, to the herbivorous animals! Let the calories look after themselves! Don’t scrap up your insides with roughage, as it is more likely to do harm than good. Fruit is not verynourishing. Milk is bulky and bilious. Vegetarianism, is, harmless enough, al-, though it is apt to fill a man with wind—and self-righteousness!” Under the heading, of “OverAnxious,” Doctor Hutchison included too-careful mothers. “The infant,” he said, “is now regarded as a job for the combined knowledge- of the chemist, the psychologist and the Public Officer of Health.” Some persons had laid to this super-care the decline in infant mortality, but lie averred that if he bad to do so, lie could make out a case for its being the result of the replacement, of the . liorsc by the mot-or-car, or of the invention oh dried milk! , •

Give them happy homes, the companionship of. other.-, children,-..-and plenty of plain, simple food,” said Dr Hutchison. “Don’t take too. pipcli notice of' them.- Send them' early ;to bed, and leave, the • rest to chance.” Sir \ James Purvis Stewart, K.C.M.B. gave another address, outlining ways to a lengthy'-life.. He said he considered that heredity was by far the - most important factor, but lie regretted that a lack of birth control permitted the reprodueton of far from perfect specimens." Other ways, he said, were the public hospital and the family doctor.