VALUE OF MILK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22108, 14 May 1935, Page 11

VALUE OF MILK

IMPORTANCE AS FOOD MARKED BENEFIT TO HEALTH INTERESTS OF CHILDREN The value of milk as a food was emphasised by Dr. Garfield Stewart, of Takaptina, in an address at the weekly luncheon of the Auckland Rotary Club in Milne and Choycc's Reception Hall yesterday. The president, Mr. G. L. Taylor, presided. "Diet is a subject about which comparatively little is known," Dr. Stewart said. "When anyone starts to speak dogmatically about what foods are good or not good, ,b ew are of him. No one knows what actually constitutes the ideal diet, but what we do know is that one of the best natural foods we have is milk." The science of medicine, Dr. Stewart continued, made immense strides when Lister discovered that infection was caused by living germs. As a result, Lister introduced antiseptics, and in this respect, Lord Moynihan, the mostdistinguished surgeon in the world today, said that Lister had been the means of saving more lives than thoso lost in all tho world wars throughout the ages. This was mentioned only to show how necessary it was to have a milk supply absolutely free from all possible forms of infection. Danger ol Germs

Milk was not only ideal for human consumption, but it was also ideal for the propagation of micro-organisms bearing disease. Sterilisation or pasteurisation was necessary to remove the germs which could so easily spread diphtheria, scarlet fever, summer sickness and other diseases. It was gratifying to know that in New Zealand attempts were being made to regularise the milk supply in this way. Experiments carried out in England among groups of schoolchildren had proved conclusively that extra milk rations, in addition to what was considered to be an adequate diet, resulted in a marked improvement in the general health, physique and mental capacity of the children. Obviously, what had previously been considered an adequate diet was actually far from it. "If we could increase the milk ration," said Dr. Stewart, "we know quite definitely that we could diminish the amount of disease. We are all impressed by the way in which Rotary in New Zealand has looked after crippled children, but I should like to see things go further than that. Instead of giving us a better ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, help us to erect a stronger fence at the top.

Aid to Farmers

"In this country, which should be very largely dairy fed, we consume only half the quantity Of milk per head in a year that they do in the United States. The average New Zealand yearly consumption is 28 gallons; in the United States it is 56 and in Denmark it is 66 gallons. Not only would an increased milk consumption be a great aid to health, but it would also prove of marked assistance to dairy farmers in helping them to dispose of over-production. In New Zealand we spend £4 per head annually on beer and spirits. If we were to spend only a shilling a head, we would be able to supply every school child with a pint of milk a day." Dr. Stewart added that statistics disproved the belief of many New Zealanders that the children of the country were physically sound. It was known that through a milk diet the general standard of health could be appreciably raised, and he. appealed to Rotarians to assist in this direction.