The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-07
TOO MUCHZEA
!: FOR RATI0NING
British Authority Points to
Danger of Patriotic I'm d.
derfeeding.
HELPFUL ONLY TO FEW
Case Of Lord RhOndda Cited as
Example by Sir James
Crichton-Browne.
HELPFUL ONLY TO FEW
Special corresposdsnes to rHs son.

Special Covvespohdence 10 The Bun
LONDON, June 22.--Roseate statements
about the good results to health Of the
reduction in the consumption Of food I'M
dor the rationins scheme are likely to
have serious effects, says Sir James
Crichton- Browne in an article in the
Sotwsdoy Review.
Conscientious assentors, says Sir
James. impelled by patriotic motives.
may easily overdo 1t, and voluntarily
reduce their food supply below the "A
tioning level, and only discover their
mistake when their constitutional visor
has been seriously undermined"
Sir James fortihes his argument by
the case Of Lord Rhondda himself. He
says: - :
The preposterous length to which
rationing enthusiasm may be carried Is
illustrated by a newspaper paragraph
circulated widely the other day init
mating that Lord Rhondda. who has
undergone an operation for pleural
effusion following on pneumonia, has
owed his life to rationing. That. It ap-
pears, diligently pursued. had appre-
ciably reduced his weight. which. had
It remained normal. II. Is afirrned. must
have put fatal strain on his heart.
Rationinw ~ Cause Of Illness.
But to any non-physiological ra-
Rhondda probably owed his illness to
rationing, which. In. reducing his weight.
had reduced the fatty elements in his
lungs and made them susceptible to
pneumonia. and owed his life to the
abandonment Of rationins and the liberal
supplies OF nourishment administered to
him during his Illness.
There Is no Justification for the
statement that by under rationing- the
health Of the country has improved
The utmost that can be said Ia that as
yet there Is no evidence that the health
Of tho country has been adversely
affected by rationins. 1t is much too
| soon to pronounce rationing beneficial
or even harmless. or to indulge in pre-.
dictions as to it's ultimate effects. We
must wait and see.
The immediate effects Of rationins
| are obvious enough. The nation IL much
| Simmer than 1t was. There has been m
enormous loss Of body weight alt round
But II Ia certain that In loss Of body
weight there must come a danger point
! and that that danger point must vary
greatly in different individuals.
II has been said that the danger poin,
| Is not reAched until 10 per cent OF
body weight hiss been sacriAced. but a
| standard Of that kind Is hazardous
| There are otergrown men who Nigh,
| lose 20 per cent. without injury. ant
| there are lean mon to whom a per cent
loss might mean serious mischief I'm
der such, circumstances tuberculosis
| Eymotic maladies, and diseases Of tn,
! nervous system are particularly liabl,
| to invade the system.
| supereatted GentIessen. -
1.-The loss OF weight In seven month,
| OF rationing Is often much in excess o.
one stone Our West End tailors vii
bear witness that some OF their super
fatted customers have lost as much al
three stones in that time. And II Il
these superfatted gentlemen who ar,
largely responsible for the myth. tina
| rationins has improved the nationa
health.
! They rejoice in having thrown of al
encumbrance they feel lighter. NOR
I active and clear headed. and 60 abou
blessing Lord Rhondda. No doubt som,
OF them have greatly prohted by tn,
restraint put on their appetite. bu
others OF them are in a par,ous state
although they know 1t not. for In unload
Ing themselves of their superficial ia
they have also unloaded the neart. mus
Giles of some of the fat that had accu
rnulated on 1t or in 1t. and so incurred
tho risk of heart failure.
But the superfatted people are. a fte
all. but a small class In the community
and II is libellous to insinuate that tn
masses Of our people were gluttonou
and overate themselves before the war
Appetite Is. on the whole. a very SAT
guide"
Finally, declares this great authority
| the statement that our war bread is, II
relation to nutrition. equal to our pre-
| war bread, Is nonsense.