Evening star., 1942-05-28
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henri.

By Thomas R. Henry.
Three Canadian doctors have provided
probably the most convincing proof
ever given of the value of q balanced
and sufficient diet.
Their evidence has been cited by the
National Research Councils Committee
on Food and Nutrition in a recent re-
port to the American Medical Associa-
ton, answering critics who claim that
the Importance Of diet in the United
States has been over-emphasized.
The figures are impressive, they say,
even when not accepted entirely on their
face value.
Drs. j.. H. Ebbs, F. F. Tinsdale and
w. H. Scott kept exact records Of the
food eaten by expectant mothers at
tending the pre-maternity clinic Of the
Toronto General Hospital for four
months before the birth Of their babies.
These women reported exactly what
they ate each day. Finally 210 were
selected who obviously were not getting
enough Of the essential foods, either
because they were too poor to buy them
or did not know enough to eat them.
All were getting too few calories, too
little iron, proteins and magnesium. OF
these, 120 were allowed to go on as they
had started. Ninety were furnished
each day. in addition to what they nor
mally ate. with one egg. 80 ounces of
milk, a half ounce Of wheat germ con-
tanning vitannin E. an ounce of cheese,
about 4 ounces of canned tomatoes and
one orange.
These foods increased their diets to
what experts have declared an expect
ant mother should eat. The actual
results astounded the Canadian doc
tors themselves and the National Re-
search Council physicians appear q
little sceptical-but even If half the
claims are valid they are almost sensa-
tional
OF the women on a poor diet Al per
cent had major complications during
labor. compared to II per cent Of those
with supplemented diets. Nearly 10
per cent Of the first group had mis-
carriages or still births. There was
not single such case in the second
group.
For the second group the period of
labor was cut down about one-fourth-
from 20 to IS hours. Twelve per cent
of the inadequately fed women had
stormy recoveries, compared to only
per cent of the others. The final rating
of the obstetricians for the whole
course from the fourth month of preg-
nancy through convalescence was. that
"a per cent of the first group had a
bad time" compared with only 6 per
cent of the second group.
Nearly half of the women on made
quate diets suffered complications dur
ing the first six months after child
birth. These occurred with only 10
per cent of the others. But probably
the most noteworthy figures were for the
babies. Fourteen per cent of those whose
mothers had not eaten properly made a
poor or bad record during the first two
weeks Of life. Every one Of the others
OlU WCA LII &C pei SCLI VI IllC AZ oI
group of babies died within six months.
There was not a single death among
the children whose mothers had eaten
properly.
The doctors who made the reports
only prescribed diets. They did not keep
the records on the condition of either
the mothers or the babies. These were
kept by obstetricians or nurses who
presumably did not know which women
were getting the supplemented diets.
Says the committee of which DR..
James S. McLester, former president of
the American Medical Association, is
a member: Even though to be conServa-
tive one might question the entire
accuracy of these ratings, it IS evident
that large number of these women and
their children were materially benefited
by the improvement in diet and that
previously they had suffered in greater
or less degree from nutritional failure.
These studies indicate the prevalence
Of sub-optimal nutrition In population
group-pregnant women-whose health
Is of exceptional importance"
Il
A hitherto unknown principle In plant
growth-that temperature must vary
with light-has just been discovered at
the California Institute Of Technology.
Perhaps the outstanding contribution
to plant physiology of this generation
was the discovery by two United States
Department of Agriculture scientists 20
years ago that growth, blossoming and
fruit setting we're controlled by the
length Of the day-or the time plant
was exposed to light in . greenhouse.
There were long and short day plants,
1t was determined. For normal develop
ment every plant required its sleep or ces-
sation Of the intense physiological &C
tivity that takes place under illumina-
ton.
Now it has been discovered by DR..