Mlustrating his fecture with lantern slides, Dr. H.C. Hou, of the Henry Lester Institute of Medical Research, spoke "on Dec, 22 at the' Shanghai Public. Health Club. of the worldwide interest of public health workin diet in its relation to. health. He said that Interest Is br
our knowledge of vitamins and partly gut partly by the rapid progress in through the good work of the health organization of the League of Nations. "For the frst time, specific recommendations of dietary standards were published by the organization on November 1 last year and revised June this year.
n China, little attention was pala to the relation of diet to health in spite of the fact that it was recognized since early days that certain foods have curative value in certain. die scases. The importance of nutrition public health was further phasized by Dr. How by quoting the words of Rubner, Hopkins and #lelcher. A complete diet, he said, Is not only accessary for the preven: on and cure of deficiency diseases but also is essential for the body 10 meet the great demand during stress, for opposing infection, tissue' repair, heightened metabolism, ete.
The greater proportion of the population in China, Dr, Hou contin. ed, are living below ihe threshold of adequate nutrition. © "This is Targely due to poverty, but inability to secure proper food is often the result of ignorance of the laws of nutrition, 'There are many problems which are pectiliar to China. Pover= {y, the differerfee. in diclary habits, and the Tack of dairy products make it" impractical to apply western standards, Further, since' the distri-
"Among the' common foods, milk ranks best as a food. It contains the best type of proteins and is ich in calcium, vitamins A. B. and G, but Jacking in Sron. Eggs, meat, sh and outs also. supply rst class' proteins but the vitamin content varies. with the type used. Glandular organs are usually richer in vitamine and salle than other meats. Vegetables and fruits ore important for. their. vitamin and mineral contents, Grains five us primarily sources of energy and secondarily protein which, however, is not adequate by itself' unless supplemented. Whole grains contain certain mineral salts and vitamins, bhut in rice this is lost through the process of polishing. Pats are' pri marily sources of heat and encray ina concentrated form. Certain {ats are essential to life and in certain eases they act as carriers of vitaming 'A. and D. Sugars like fat are sources of heat and energy. Pare sugar contributes nothing else. "Excessive use of sugar discouraged.
in China, for the masses, the use of soy bean and soy bean producte should be encouraged since the pro-reins. they contain, © approximate animal protein closer than other com mon plant proteins. Potato, unto lished rice and millet are superior to ud cheaper than highly polished ree and white flour, and they should be extensively used. Such a diet Potato, soy bean, unpolished rice and millet, "when supplemented with plenty of green vegetables and occa Sionally an eng or some meal, should make it a fairly satisfactory one and should bring about a. decrease in ney of common deficiency bution of inorganic salts and vita-ming of vegetables differs much with the varieties, places, of cultivation, fertilization and modes of prepara: tion, 9 careful investigation into this field should help us toward a better understanding of the optional requireent for normal health and for the treatment of deflelency diseases. Recent surveys of the "Poor," of the rural population and of factory workers, show that there is an of suitable proteins, of dum and of certain vitamins, particularly vitamins A, B and D.*
Six Vitamins The six important vitamins, A. B. C.D. E. and G. were next discussed, in their relation to health and dis cases, by Dr. Hou, who illustrated the various deficiency. diseases with lantern sides. The distribution vitamins in foods and man's requireent of the vitamins were also taken up in the lecture.
"Summing up, Dr. Hou said a modern practical diet should first be a well varied diet so as to ensure that many' food factors which are neces-Sary for life and health are contained therein, and secondly, a diet contain ing a large proportion of protective foods: jo. foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
Dr, Mou went on to say that well" balanced diet containing an Abundance of various food factors Is Particularly" necessary to growing children, expectant and nursing mothers' and those required to make exhausting' physical efforts, since. has been. repeatedly observed that hard work or pregnancy predispose an Individual on a detective diet to diseases.
'The speaker concluded by saying "A perfect diet should have all' the necessary dietary essentials: car-Dohydrale, fat, "proteins, inorganic salts. vitamins, water and crude fibres, each in its correct. amount and right, proportion,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.