NUTRITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 150, 28 June 1938, Page 10

NUTRITION

THE PLUNKET SYSTEM

CRITICS REPLIED TO i 1 MAYOR AND MINISTER i s s References to the recent criticisms s of the Plunket nutrition system were t made at the annual meeting of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children yesteiv day afternoon by the Mayor (Mr. T. C. t A. Hislop) and the Minister of Health e (the Hon. P. Fraser). Both took tha j past performances of the society to the f benefit of the country as their reason t for deprecating criticism without full f investigation. Mr. Fraser amplified his ® previous references to the researches j being carried on by the Government, e and said that until the reports of its >• medical council were available "any- ® thing in the nature of irrational and iconoclastic condemnation should ba 2 condemned." c "All of us associated with this great 3 movement must necessarily be aware £ of certain criticisms which have been s directed at the work, but I venture to j suggest that nobody can challenge the - good work done by this society from the time it really started in its activities, which have through the whole of r New Zealand been of inestimable r benefit," said the Mayor. "But times move on," continued Mr. Hislop, "and with the passing of the years intensive study and scientific work goes on and brings fresh ideas to apply to problems. That does not apply only to this society, but to every problem that exists. I think it is to the credit of this society, and character . istic of the work it has to do, that it j is receptive of new ideas, and I feel that the attention that has been taken, 2 the welcoming of the inquiries that _ are being made, is a wide outlook, and one characteristic of the society. It would be absurd to adopt any other J course. We will welcome all the constructive criticism we can get, and all the knowledge that can be brought to ] bear on our problems, so that as time _• goes on we can be up to date without ' being experimental." >. FIGURES THAT SPEAK. J "At the present time we are laced . with criticism which may or may not y have a certain amount of foundation," . said Mr. Fraser. "Looking back to B 1907, in Seaclifl, where Sir Truby King . was superintendent, his work commenced in such a small and moderate f way that we can only marvel at the . progress it has made. It is well today t to look back on those years, and ; endeavour really to appreciate the g value of that work. j "That year the infantile death-rate 1 was very high, 88 per 1000, higher than j the year before, and higher than the i succeeding year. No more opportune _ moment could have been selected by ( Sir Truby King to commence his work, t for the high death-rate must have 3 directed his attention to the possir bilities. The death-rate was 67 per r 1000 the following year, and it has j declined further. These figures are the j best test of the work of the society. . Whatever improvements can be devised i in the light of modern research, these » figures of the saving of children are ; the best evidence of the effectiveness , of the wonderful work accomplished. [ The infantile death rate declined to 31.21 per 1000 last year. That alone 5 shows the great benefits conferred i upon New Zealand by Sir Truby King r and those who followed him confidently . through the years. | "A DISASTROUS THING." "It would be a disastrous thing if ' for any reason whatever the work falL tered and failed, or if any unfair criti- ■ cism was allowed to injure the society, t The essential work, of the society is ■ the saving of the children of the DoJ minion, of giving them better health, ' and of arousing a sense of the responsil bility and dignity of motherhood. I 1 complain of no criticism so long as it has a scientific basis, but it would be [ disastrous if anything in the nature of • an unjustified attempt was launched |on this society. I would ask the • mothers of this country to return to • power a society which has accom- • plished so much. "Without any special, knowledge of | the science of nutrition the point ; seems to revolve round the dietary em- | bodied in the Plunket system, and whether it contains adequate supplies of calories or protein to meet the different stages of child life. Ido not think that this should undermine the usefulness of the society in the future. If it can be demonstrated that the society's system requires some improvement, it can* easily be done. If the dietary for some child requires slightly more calories, the common sense thing is to give it. If more proteins are ■ required they can be supplied, but it is not a matter to be determined by writing to the newspapers, it is a question to be determined scientifically by those capable of examining and de- ' claring on the problem. WORK OF RESEARCH COUNCIL. "We have had set up a Medical Research Council composed of very cap- ' able medical men who have particularly studied medical research. A great question to give attention to was the tragic one of cancer. The committee has been carrying on excellent work. When the results may come nobody can forecast. Great work is being carried on in connection with goitre, and with hydatids, but the first question to receive attention from the Medical Council was the question of nutrition (the whole field, not children only). .That work was placed a month ago in the very capable hands of Professor Malcolm, who is in charge of the physiology department in Dunedin, a man who carries the complete trust of everybody with whom he comes in contact. Associated with him are Dr. Muriel Bell, Professor Hercus, and Dr. Gregory. They will take the evidence of apyone who has sufficiently studied nutrition. You may rest assured that the whole question of nutrition will be gone into, and that a very large amount of research will be devoted to the effect of nutrition on the child life of the Dominion, but that report must be awaited. If it is necessary to make any alteration irt the present system then, it can be done. "The Plunket Society has not a very easy passage to start with. Sir Truby King had to carry out his educational campaign against the greatest difficulties, but the founder knew he was on the right lines, and that fact the figures from 1907 until today have amply shown. I would like the society to feel that whatever criticisms may be levelled at its work, I and past Ministers appreciate it. lam not reflect* ing on any of those who have indulged in criticism. Some of the younger doctors who have studied dietetic matters in other parts of the world are likely to have their opinion listened to, and attention paid to them, but anything in the nature of irrational and iconoclastic condemnation of th» society should be condemned.**