VALUE OF DIET

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 284, 26 August 1922, Page 9

VALUE OF DIET

“IGNORANCE ABOUT FOOD MOST DEPLORABLE” A SKILLED DIETITIAN FOR THE HOSPITAL “That with a view to securing greater efficiency, and more economical results In connection with the hospital, a committee, comprising the chairman of tho board (Mr. F. Castle), the chairman of the Hospital committee (Mr. C. M. Luke), Dr. W. E. Herbert, Mrs. S. E. Snow, and the medleal superintendent (Dr. D. Macdonald Wilson,), be asked to report as to ths advisability of appointing a skilled dietitian forthwith.”

Mr. J. W. Butler, in moving this resolution at Thursday’s meeting of the Hospital Board, said he had been interesting himself in this matter for some time past, and had read a good deal upon the subject. Our hospitals Were of a high standard, but thgir business was to keep them so. In Canada and Great Britain they have in their hospitals skilled dietitians. He quoted one authority, who stated that in tho case of one hospital the'saving in the kitchen amounted to the salary of a dietitian. If a scheme of this kind tended to greater efficiency, and improved the> health of the patients so that we could get them out of the hospital more quickly, it was. certainly something they should consider. He also quoted the Hon. W. Triggs, who trusted that the Empire City would not lag behind. Dr. Herbert said that the ignorance of the people of New Zealand about food was deplorable, and the board would be taking a step in the right direction by giving force to this resolution. When he was in Canada in 1913 he was very much impressed with several of the big hospitals. It was. he thought, at the Victoria Hospital at Montreal that the whole of the top floor was one vast kitchen, and there he found that no nurse was admitted until she had taken her diploma in cooking and Imew all about the value of foods. He was glad to see that the board was interested and if it 'Lid not know what vitamines were they could gat a dietitian who did,ho that they could feed their patients better than was done to-day. Mr. J. Qlover was against the idea of setting' up a special committee when the hospital committee could do the work just as well. Mr. C. M. Luke eaid this was a

•natter which the board had had before it from time to time, but it was n-ach a small institution that it had

•>een considered too ambitious a thing to create such an office as that of a dietitian. Probablv the time had arrived when something should bo done, but they had been at a loss to know how to use the Tull services of Much an expert. the Department could be induced to secure •such a man, so that all hospitals could benefit by his teachings. Such a. man, if they did secure him, might give lectures so that tho whole community might benefit. Dr. Herbert: Hear, hear!

The chairman agreed with Mr. Glover that it was a matter which could be attended to by the Hospital Committee, and he moved an amendment:

“Thai the Hospital Committe be asked to report on the advisability of appointing, a skilled dietitian.” Mr. Castle said that they had at present a dietitians’ kitchen which was not in use at all. The fact that the proposal called for the substitution of female cooks entirely had caused delay.; another thing was that they did not know whether a skilled dietitian was available in New Zealand. Mrs. MoVicar mentioned a domestic science school at Dunedin. The chairman was not sure that a graduate from, that school would fill tfie bill—whether their chemical know- ‘ ledge of goods was' wide enough. Mr. Chapman, who seconded the amendment, said ho was glad that such an appointment would not mean the cutting out of tho cgg£ —though some patients did say that the only eggs they got were those their friends brought. (Cries of “No, no-”) At tho same time, he did . think that a great deal could be achieved by one who knew all about food, as he was sure that a great many illnesses were caused through people eating foods they could not assimilate, and in mixing foods —wrong mixtures must cause all sorts of digestive troubles. Dr. McDonald Wilson (superintendent) said it was very gratifying indeed to find the members of the board of one mind. Although the quality of tho food was a big question, the question of economy was also concerned, and he was glad to find that certain measures in respect to the use of gas were having some effect. If there were an officer in charge, ho was sure—and he said this without reflecting in any way on the staff —much could be saved. There was a lot of waste, and in going round the wards at meal times he often thought that if ho were a patient and not feeling very well, the way the food was served would not appeal to him as very appetising. He hoi>ed that; they would get ft new kitchen, making tho delivery of the food to the wards easier. At present they had to carry it down the long wards, instead of it being placed on trolleys, as it should bo. There should also bo a kitchen attached to every ward. In tho cose of kidney diseases, gastric disorders, and diabetes cases a great deal could be done by scientific dieting, for which work they did want a. dietitian. Whether such work could be properly carried out in the premises they had was tho only difficulty. . • Air. Butler withdrew his motion in favour of the amendment, which was unanimously carried. ,A Commission’s Recommendation. Last year’s commission on hospitals Tecfommended-!>in its report: “Your commission recommends that a skilled dietitian from overseas bo appointed at Dunedin at once, and subsequently at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, by tho respective hospital boards.”