A FORGOTTEN ART

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 230, 26 June 1935, Page 8

A FORGOTTEN ART

Modern Woman’s Failure as a Cook MEDICAL MAN’S CRITICISM Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, June 25. Economic stress ami its reaction on the health of New Zealanders, was . viewed from an alarming angle by a medical man in a statement this morning. “The health of Hie people is being undermined through eating foods of little dietary value,” he said. “Especially is this noticeable in the case of the poor, though even those whose circumstances have not been affected by the depression are eating the wrong foods.” A direct charge of incompetence m cooking was made against the modern housewife by the medical man. Lad cooking distinguished t lie Modem Miss” from her more domesticated prototype of ten years-ago, and here he blamed counter-attractions (if housework could occupy that category), for tlie woeful- ignorance of how. the best nutritive value could be obtained .from a cooked meal. The elements of dietetics' were learned by most Housewives years ago when at primary schools, and long since forgotten l . He was of opinion that the Home Science School attached to the University of Otago was one of its most valuable scholastic offshoots, and In training many women in the culinary art, though their ranks were small compared with the thousands who could not cook properly, it was performing a signal community service by attempting to raise a fallen standard. The radio talks on food preparation could not be too highly praised, and he commended them to every woman, whether married or single.