Diet and Health

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1066, 2 September 1930, Page 4

Diet and Health

( ADDRESS ON "FOOD VALUES, PRESERVATIVES j I AND IMPURITIES” DR. E. B. GUNSON IS SPEAKER The prevalence of rickets in the children of the community was deplored by Dr. E. B. Gunson, in the course of an address on “Food Values, Preservatives and Impurities,” given at a meeting of the Civic League last evening. In this connection Dr. Gunson quoted his own experience at the Karitane Homo, where it is exceptional if there is not one rickety child in 20. The disease is due to a deficiency of a certain vitamin, the lack of which brought about by serious changes in the body, particularly in the muscle and bone formation. As an example of the necessity of accessory factors in the diet there was no better example, said the doctor, than oatmeal, a food which has for so long been the chief article of diet of Scottish people, one of the finest races of the world. Yet oatmeal may be definitely injurious to the young and growing child, as certain cereals have a certain amount of detrimental influence on the bone—calcification, and among these substances oatmeal lias far the worst. This detrimental action, however, could be neutralised to varying degrees by foodstuffs containing vitamins A and D and by sunlight and by ultra-violet radiation. The period of growth was the most important period in life, continued the speaker, and therefore it was during this period that an adequate vitamin supply was most essential. The influence of diet on the formation of the teeth was particularly stressed. The diet of the mother from four to live months before the birth of her child and later of the child until its sixth year, determined the strength of the child’s teeth, and the decisive factor was the vitamin content of the diet. PRESERVATIVES IN FOOD Referring to preservatives. Dr. Gunson said he had not met serious effects in New Zealand from impurities, preservatives or colouring matter in food. In the manner and method adopted in the supply of foodstuffs generally the people were in the hands of the suppliers. The suppliers were guided ultimately by the necessity of operating their business on a sound financial basis, but at the same time they could not disregard the requirements of their clients, the consumers. Broadly speaking, therefore, it was the people always who would control the nature of their supplies, as if a supplier sold indifferent, impure or inferior food his sales would necessarily fall. A great deal of research work was constantly being carried out upon the proportions of preservatives which might safely be permitted in food and so long as those proportions were reasonable it would be economically unsound to insist upon their entire elimination. From the medical point of view it could be said that the simpler the food and the more it approximated to its natural state the better. Fresh meat was preferable to any tinned meat* and yet one could not condemn tinned meat. In support of the contention that tinned meat used over a period of years was not harmful if the other requirements of diet were supplied, Dr. Gunson quoted the experience of our armies on active service. In a personal experience in Salonika, however, a serious deficiency of fat, lasting over a period of 18 months affected practically the whole of the British forces of 90,000 troops. Dr. Gunson concluded his address with a detailed description of the various processes used in food preservation. He was cordially thanked by Mrs. Kenneth Gordon, president of the Civic League, for his address. Songs by Miss Ida Walker were later enjoyed and supper was served at the conclusion of the evening.

FLAPPER DANCE CAMBRIDGE PARTY FOR YOUNG FOLK HAPPY EVENING A very jolly dance for the young people home for school holidays was given by six women at Cambridge on Thursday evening. The hall was very attractive with multi-coloured streamers and in the supper room daffodils and Iceland poppies made effective decorations on the tables. The hostesses were:—Mrs. S. Lewis, who was in a handsome black and silver frock of georgette; Mrs. V. Nolan wearing a floral ninon in rust and blue tone; Mrs. J. Sawers, whose gown was of mauve beaded georgette; Mrs. Harp, in a black lace frock; Mrs. N. Peake, black georgette; and Mrs! Bryce, in a gown of black chiffon velvet. Among others present were: Mrs. G. Middleton, Mrs. Rush, Mrs. S. Banks, Mrs. Porritt, Mrs. Vickers (Auckland), Mrs. Gnmmett, Mrs. Roy Wilson, Mrs. Tod, Miss Gwynnett, Miss Foley, Miss D. Nolan, Miss C. Hewitt, Miss D. cox. Miss M. Burke, Miss V. Garland, Miss R. Goodwin, Miss K. Horne, Miss J. Ferguson, Miss B. Cook, Miss G. Martyn, Miss R. Speight, Miss ID. Peake (Te Awamutu), Miss M. Chamberlain (Te Awamutu), Miss H. Dallimore, Miss R. Calvert, Miss G. Innis, Miss M. Harrison, Miss C. Hart, Miss M. Hart, Miss Foster, Miss N. Porritt, Miss N. Eastwood, Miss J. Arnbury, Miss B. Harbutt, Miss D. Boyes, Miss M. Grimmett, Miss N, Ranstead, Miss K. Macky, Miss P. Gorrie (Auckland), Miss B. Goodwin. Miss IX Peake, Miss R. Dodd, Miss C. Blennerhassett, Miss B. Grimmett, Miss I. Newcombe, Miss G. Foster, Miss W. Burke, Miss B. Ross, Miss J. Hardy, Miss T. Hardy, Miss P. McDougal, Miss M. Mandeno (Te Awamutu), Miss M. Ambury, Miss T. Banks, Miss V. McKenzie, Miss J. Rush, Miss M. Sawers, Miss M. Hicks, Miss P. Ranstead, Miss D. Hubbard, Miss A. McKenzie, Miss B. Skeet, Miss D. Bryce, Miss R. Lewis, Miss I. Taylor, Miss D. Howarth, Miss P. Postgate, Miss B. Harbutt, Miss L. Lewis, Miss G. Harbutt. SALE OF WORK AFTERNOON AT TAKAPUNA A sale of work was held at the Brett Memorial Home at Takapuna, at which the goods left over from a previous sale, were displayed. The organisers were a number of Milford women. The visitors were served with afternoon tea and were afterward shown over the grounds and home Iw the members of the staff. The following were in charge of the stalls: —Work. Mrs. Scarborough; sweets, Mrs. Sands and Miss Scarborough; produce and flowers, Mrs. Reeve.