PATEA PLUNKET SOCIETY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 221, 18 September 1936, Page 2

PATEA PLUNKET SOCIETY

INTERESTING LECTURE. PROTECTION OF FOODS. On Tuesday evening Patea Plunket Society supporters were afforded the opportunity of hearing a most interesting address, presented by Mr. W. F. De Roo, of Wanganui, Health inspector for the district. Mrs. R. W. Haddow, president of the society, introduced the speaker. She said that to-day in New Zealand 75 per cent, of the babies were brought to the Plunket nurse for advice, while in 1905 not 5 per cent, were “Plunket.” Mr. De Roo said they might go away after his lecture with the impression that they were not to eat at all, but that was not what he intended. He was going to talk on the progress made in the protection of food, and the danger ot faulty handling, the title ot his talk being “Some observations on the protection ol foods.”

In opening, lie reverted to Biblical times and quoted the word “death in the pot," meaning contaminated meat. Then came the adulteration ot foods by the Greeks and Romans and later in England. What would have oeen a crime now, no notice was taken of in the 12th century. The “Assize of bread” in the reign of John, was the first step taken to protect foods, and in 1582 severe penalties were imposed, but no steps were taken to clean up the bakehouses. In the 16th Century ale was the staple drink, the water supply being dangerous. Officers were appointed as “ale tasters,” and to pass their approval, it being a habit to add sugar to sour ale and sell it. As commerce grew, adulteration increased, and coffee was mixed with baked acorns. Nobody cared except the customs officers, for the revenue decreased, and when the public were used to it, they would not have plain coffee. Tea was adulterated by the addition of slow leaves and willow leaves, and old leaves were revitalised. The earlier attempts at regulation dealt with quality and it was not till the 19th century that notice was taken of the conditions under which the food was sold and prepared. The medical men were responsible for the drawing of attention to the shocking conditions under which food was sold. In this Dominion we were able to start where the older countries had got to and were in advance, having a plentiful food supply and keeping up-to-date by seeing that premises were of required standard. There were laboratories where all foods were tested. Periodical examinations were made. Among the dangers was the spreading ot infectious diseases. The law prohibited the handling of foods by anyone suffering from a disease, or in contact with disease. Typhoid fevers, T. 8., scarlet fever and diptheria were the main diseases transmitted by food. Milk, unfortunately, was the most liable to carry infection to the consumer. It was an excellent medium for the growth of bacteria. The main feature was the immediate cooling of the milk to retard the growth. It was obvious that food which had such dangerous potentialities should be produced under ideal conditions, but it was impossible to produce milk perfectly free from bacteria. The main faults were carelessness on the part of the producer, and ignorance on the part of the public. The speaker gave an illustration of how scarlet fever spread on one occasion, only those who had demanded uncooled milk from the milkman being affected. Diptheria was carried in the same way. Food poisoning was caused through microbes in fresh foods and was not only caused through food being tinned. Canning had reached a veryimproved stage. In one outbreak, out of 121 cases, only eight were attri-

buted to tinned food. Strepticochal sore throat was due to milk infection or from cows. Interic levers were always transmitted by food or drink. Owing to modern water supplies, people to-day did not suffer so much. Much could be prevented if people took the necessary precautions. Flies should be discouraged in every possible way. Infection of public water supply was the cause of larger outbreaks, but local bodies protected the supply as much as possible. Here a diagram was used by Mr. De Roo to demonstrate an outbreak which caused the department much trouble, the carrier of the ' typhoid not being detected until five years after the first case. Hydatid disease in the past ten years was responsible for 1000 cases, and 126 deaths. There was an absolute preventative if care were taken in the handling of dogs, especially farm dogs which were able to obtain offal. The disease attacked the liver or lungs. T.B. of the bovine type was well to the fore at present, and Patea residents were due for very great credit for their work in this connection. It was completely preventative. It was transmitted by butter and cheese as well as milk, but not to a great extent. It was transmitted mainly by domestic supplies by retan milkmen. He did not believe in pasteurisation and thought clean milk should be able to be obtained without it. In the big cities it was necessary with the different supplies, but in Patea the population was not large enough for municipal sale of milk. With regard to T.B. testing of cows, the producer could get half the price of the cows condemned. Ten per cent, of the cows in New Zealand were effected by T. 8., but probably only 1 per cent, were giving infected milk, but that was too much. It was open to councils to make regulations concerning the contamination of foods and they could prevent the selling of milk in towns unless T.B. tested. He saw no reason why people should not have T. 8.free milk. In late years we had been fortunate in having refrigeration machinery which kept meat in reasonable condition. He hoped to see the day when one was installed in every

home, it having a tremendous influence in keeping food. One way of helping was for anyone seeing food not handled as it should be, to report it to the local authorities who would have steps taken to have the matter dealt with. In the event of any sudden outbreak in a house a doctor should be called in immediately, anc' if the trouble happened to be food poisoning, the remains of the food should be kept for investigation. This might be the means of preventing a serious outbreak. The speaker had often seen housewives scald the milk billy and then put it under the cold tap. The cold water was far from sterile and nullified the effects of sterilisation of the utensil. The president thanked Mr. De Roo for his most interesting and instructive address, from which valuable information had been given. Vocal items were rendered by Mrs. P. G. Graves, Waverley, Misses Marian Hamerton and Ona Adams before the committee served an appetising supper.