DOCTORS AND OSTRICHES.

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 107, 11 July 1941, Page 4

DOCTORS AND OSTRICHES.

Sir,-In his article ""No more diphtheria," the Director of School Hygiene boldly asserts that "diphtheria is caused by a germ," and that anyone who disagrees "is an ostrich." Now, Sir, there must be thousands of parents in New Zealand who not only disagree, but would even proclaim that it is this doctor himself who has his vision buried in the sand of medical orthodoxy. The cause of diphtheria (or any other disease), according to enlightened medical opinion, is insufficient natural resistance in the subject attacked. The synthetic resistance, pumped into weakly systems from test tubes (as the doctor suggests) can never adequately take the place of the natural resistance that is built with the attainment of radiant good health. Dope, sera, and vaccines, in the long run do nothing but upset nature’s efforts towards balance of health-and our Health Department actually suggests that even our toddlers be doped with this laboratory stuff! No wonder all our hospitals are overtaxed to contend with the increasing upsets to the natural balance of health, of systems already doped to dizzy exhaustion. The natural resistance of real health comes from the balance of our physical and our spiritual requirements. On the one hand we need common-sense obedience to natural laws (especially as regards food and hygiene), and on the other hand, we must cultivate the vital spiritual vitamins from faith in the promise of the Creation to provide "life abundant." Let our Health Department then inject into our less fortunate kids something more promising than what the doctor proposes. Let it show a larger practical appreciation of the real cause of disease, and seek to indicate to harassed parents the only real approach to "abundant life"-health and happiness--MUM AND DAD (Motueka). (DR. TURBOTT REPLIES: " Your correspondents would rely on common sense, natural laws and faith. Would they still depend on these if their child was attacked by diphtheria? Will these or anti-toxin save the child? Everybody knows nowadays that the germ-produced anti-toxin saves life. Then there is surely no objection to extending the principle to prevention of the disease; the employment of tiny quantities of toxoid does exactly what your correspondent wants, raises the natural resistance of the subject. Keeping the body healthy, adequately nourished, well housed, etc., is important, but however perfect this care is, it will not stop the personal coritact of child with child-in school, on the playground, at pictures-nor prevent the personal spread of disease by droplet infection from those carrying the germs in mouth, throat and nasal passages.’’)