INQUIRY FAVOURED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 June 1938, Page 7

INQUIRY FAVOURED

INTO PROBLEM OF CHILD NUTRITION MINISTER’S DECISION ACTION OF THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. NO ATTACK ON PLUNKET SOCIETY. (By Telegraph—Press Association. DUNEDIN, June 23. The controversial question of child nutrition was referred to by the Minister of Health, the Hon P. Fraser, in an interview. He intimated that he had received a letter from the New Zealand Council of the British Medical Association asking that an investigation into the question of infant nutrition in New Zealand should be carried out under the direction of the Medical Research Council. The Minister stated that he was favourable toward the request, as he thought the time was opportune for investigation into the matter, but at the same time he paid a tribute to the work of the Plunket Society and said it would be regrettable if anything were done or said to detract from its services to the Dominion. The letter from the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association stated that at its meeting on June 8 the council had discussed the question of infant nutrition as a result of a remit from the Wellington division. It was felt by some members who had given the matter thought and study that the changing views and rapid advances of knowledge in regard to nutrition in general and infant nutrition in particular warranted some sort of investigation or "stocktaking” in regard to this important matter. It was felt that this was a question which concerned the medical profession and the Plunket Society almost equally, and the council felt that some form of investigation would be welcomed as much by the society as by the association’s members. The Medical Research Council, established by the Minister, was, the council thought, a suitable body to initiate and direct the work. . THE B.M.A. PROPOSAL. It had been decided that the following resolution should be forwarded: — “That the association requests the Minister of Health to initiate an investigation into the question of infant nutrition in New Zealand under the direction of the Medical Research Council.” ' It was understood from the actingmedical adviser to the Plunket Society, Dr E. H. Williams, Dunedin, the letter continued, that the medical advisory committee to the society would co-operate fully in such investigations. A statement on the resolution, which did not come from the association, had appeared in the Press. This gave the impression that the resolution was based on adverse criticism of the society’s work. This was not the case, and nothing in the resolution was intended or could be inferred as an attack on the society. The Minister said that he was favourable toward the request of the association that an investigation into the question of infant nutrition in New Zealand should be undertaken, and he agreed that it should be carried out under the direction of the Medical Research Council. The council had appointed a committee, of which Professor Malcolm was convenor, to investigate the nutrition problem in New Zealand and the subject of infgnt nutrition obviously was part and parcel of the general problem. SOCIETY’S WORK PRAISED. “The wonderfully beneficial work of the Plunket Society,” the Minister continued, “has received world-wide recognition and it would be regrettable if anything should be done or said that would detract from its excellent methods. At the same time I have been informed by the president of the Plunket Society, Mrs J. Begg, that the officers and executive council of the society would welcome any investigation* by a committee, the personnel of which would be thoroughly competent and imbued with the true scientific spirit. Personally I agree that it would be fatal to take up the attitude that we already know all there is to be known on the question of child nutrition or that, in the light of extending knowledge, it is impossible to improve the Plunket system of infant nutrition. “I therefore think the time is opportune,” Mr Fraser continued, “for the investigation suggested by the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association, and no doubt it will be investigated under the direction of the Medical Research Council. At the same time, I would point out that the Plunket Society’s methods have accomplished an enormous amount for the children of the Dominion, and until such time as deficiencies in its nutrition system are defintely established it would be regrettable if the society’s work should suffer unnecessarily from possibly unjustifiable criticism.”