BUTTER RATIONING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25552, 3 June 1944, Page 7

BUTTER RATIONING

REDUCTION IN AUSTRALIA ADVERSE EFFECT ON HEALTH (Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 2. The Federal Council of the British Medical Association believes that the reduction of the Australian butter ration will adversely affect, the health of civilians unless an increased quantity of other fats is made available. It also regards as “ a disgraceful situation ” that egg meals should be mandatory in the army food scales of noncombatant units when pregnant women are unable to obtain their minimum food requirements. These assertions are made in a statement issued by the 8.M.A., which says: “The Federal Council of ths British Medical Association expresses alarm at the continued drift in the nutritional requirements of the civilian population. Though the Commonwealth Government has been informed that no reduction in the butter ration could be safe unless an increased quantity of other fats were made available it is believed that no steps to achieve this have been taken. The Federal Council has a duty to perform in warning the food authorities that such an uncompensated reduction in the butter ration cannot fail to affect adversely the health of the civilian population. “The position of the vulnerable population, children and, pregnant women, is the cause of even greater alarm. With the present meat rationing the protein requirements of pregnant women can be satisfied only by an adequate supply of eggs, milk, and cheese if injury to the developing child is not to result.”

A military spokesman said that the supply of eggs to the Australian Army at present was so limited that only hospital patients and the female members of the army services receive eggs.