DOCTORS AND VITAMINS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 228, 5 November 1943, Page 3

DOCTORS AND VITAMINS

Sir,-"Janus" states that "the opinions of the average doctor on the question of vitamins and diet must be actepted with a great deal of reserve." I submit that there is no one in this country better qualified to offer their opinions, or rather their knowledge, of this subject than the medical profession as a whole and its members individually. If "Janus" imagines, as he seems to, that doctors do not realise or esteem the value of these things, he totally misunderstands the position. He is quite correct in saying that the time will come when doctors will banish a great deal of sickness from the land with the help of diet and vitamins, butthey will never be able to achieve that until they are accorded the co-operation of the general public. Recently, the headmaster of one of our most prominent secondary schools remarked that he did not approve of the teaching of food and food-values, because ‘it might make the pupils foodfaddists! If that is the attitude of influential and. supposedly educated men, how can we make such progress? It is for these reasons, sir, that we require broadcast sessions on food and vitamins, and we want more of them and bigger, better and brighter, too. "Janus" also mentions several aspects of medical progress which he alleges were "implacably opposed" by the "stultifying conservatism" of the profession. That is a gross exaggeration and distortion of the facts, again based probably on erroneous ideas of hearsay. That there has been some opposition to some of these is quite true, but not by any means to the extent suggested. "Janus" should realise that almost every ‘reformer the world has known has been opposed by his fellows; it is only human nature that a section of every interested community should rebel against new ideas introduced into its established methods, and doctors being after all, only human, are no more to be condemned for that than any other group of workers, be they theologians, educationists, industrialists or politicians. In. point of fact, the opposition has not been implacable or even serious. It might interest "Janus" to know that Pasteur, although not a medical man himself, found his supporters and champions not among his fellow scientists, but among the leaders of the medical profession. And to-day, in New Zealand, the medical profession, so far from opposing dietetics and social medical services, favours their development (although admittedly the manner in which the latter service should be operated remains a difficult

issue. )-

STUDENT

(Wellington).

("Janus" may, if he wishes, reply briefly and this correspondence will then be closed.-Ed.)