A DIETITIAN TALKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 669, 22 May 1929, Page 7

A DIETITIAN TALKS

LECTURE LAST EVENING AMBULANCE BENEFITS “Diet and Health” was the subject of a lecture delivered by Mr. R. J. Terry, the well-known dietitian, in the Town Hall concert chamber last evenMr. Terry pointed out that there was no difference in composition between a bucketful of fertile soil, a healthy plant and a portion of the human body. There were 16 component substances present in all. Of these substances a plant never obtained more than two per cent, from the soil. The rest came from the sun through the action of Die • plants cells, which in effect were like a chemical laboratory. The speaker then gave examples of the necessity of the sun’s rays in promoting plant life. This brought l‘«im to the subject of artificial rays. “Artificial sunlight rays are only in their infancy,” he stated. “Nevertheless, when used by the right people they have a very good effect.” The sun’s natural rays are balanced in composition to suit healthy persons. If people fell ill, artificial rays were effective in restoring them to that normal state of balance which received the sun’s rays well, and from which their illness had removed them. The sun’s rays, not being concentrated like artificial rays, did not produce that effect so readily. In discussing the popular idea that sugar contained in lollies affected the teeth T>y direct contact, Mr. Terry said thdt it the strong affinity between lime and sugar that -was the cause of the trouble. A tooth could be soaked in sugar syrup for a long time, and no deterioration would result. Sugar got into the blood and attracting lime was conveyed with that lime to the nerve cavities and innermost parts of the teeth. There the lime did its damage. As an example, by the dissolving of sugar in water, it could be made to take 35 times as much lime in solution as pure water. Many other interesting points were dealt with by the speaker. The proceeds of the lecture are to go to the St. John Ambulance Medical Comforts Depot. Air. C. J. Tunks was in the chair.