POOD IN HOSPITALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18180, 28 August 1922, Page 8

POOD IN HOSPITALS.

THE VALUE QF DIET.. SPECIAL WANTED. IGNORANCE OF PUBLIC. [bx teumbai' a — special bepobteb.] WELLINGTON, Saturday. " That with a view to securing gireater efficiency, and more economical result* in connection with the hospital, a committee, comprising the chairman of the board, Mr. F. Castle, the chairman of the Hob. pital Committee, Mr. C. M. Luke, Dr. W. E. Herbert, Mrs. S. E. Snow, and the medical superintendent, Dr. D_. Macdonald Wilson, be asked to report as to the advisability of appointing a skilled dietitian forthwith." Mr. J. W. Butler, in moving this resolution at a meeting of the Wellington 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 their business was to keep them so. In Canada and Great Britain they had in their hospitals skilled dietitians. He quoted one authority, who,stated that in the case of one hospital the saving in the kitchen amounted to the salary of thedietitian. 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 hospitals more quickly, it was certainly something they should consider. Dr. Herbert said 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 iri 1913 he was very much impressed with several of the large 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 knew all about the value of foods. He was glad to see that the board was interested and if it did not know what vitamines were they could get a dietitian who did. so that they could feed the patients better than was done to-day. Mr. J. Glover was against the idea of sotting up a special committee when the hospital committee could do the work just as well. Possibility of Lectures. Mr. C. M. Luke said this was a matter which the board had had before it from time to time, but it was such a small institution that it had been considered too ambitious a thing to create.such an office as that of a dietitian. Probably the time had arrived when something should be done, but they had been at a loss to know how to use the full services of such an expert. Perhaps 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 the whole community might benefit. The chairman agreed with Mr. Glover that it was a matter which could bo attended to by the Hospital Committee, and he moved an amendment: " That ( the Hospital Committee be asked to report on the advisability of appointing a skilled dietitian." Mr. Castle 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. McVicar mentioned a domestic science school at Dunedin. The chairman was not sure that a graduate from that school would fill the bill— whether their chemical knowledge of goods was wide enough; Mr. Chapman, who seconded the amendment, said he w.as glad that such an appointment would not mean the cutting out of the eggs—though some patients did say that the only eggs they got were those their friends brought. At the same time, he did think that a great deal could be achieved by one who knew all about foo'd, 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. Superintendent's Views. Dr. Macdonald Wilson (superintendent) said it was very gratifying indeed to find the members of the board of one mind. Although the quality of the 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, he 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 times he often thoucht that if he were r* patient and not feeling very well, the way the food was served would not appeal to him as very appetising. He hoped that they would get a new kitchen, making the 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 be. There should also be a kitchen attached to every ward. In the case 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 bo properly carried out in the premises they had was the only difficulty. Mr. Sutler withdrew his motion in favour of the amendment, which was unanimously carried. Last year's commission on hospitals recommended in its report: "Your commission recommends that a skilled dietitian, from overseas be appointed at Dunedin at once, and subsequently at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, by the respective hospital boards."