Our Health Work in the Newspapers

What the paper said.

By J. R. FERREN, Secretary, Bureau of Publicity, General Conference

 

In a large Government cafeteria here in Washington, where more than two thou­sand people take their noonday meal, I was interested in the special menu on the board—

Oriental Loaf 

One vegetable and beverage--30 cents or 
Three vegetables and beverage--30 cents

It was "Meatless Tuesday." I chose the three vegetables, but in passing along the counter I saw many others taking the Oriental loaf, which looked very appetizing indeed. The girl serving it was explaining that it was made of soy beans, eggs, etc.

As I ate my vegetables, I silently mused on what a changed world we are living in. Sev­enth-day Adventists have been using and advo­cating meat substitutes for many years, and now the world is coming to use them too. All of which brings me to the subject. In this time of rationing and anxiety about the short­age of flesh foods, why cannot some of the women in our churches conduct instruction classes and food demonstrations in their neigh­borhoods, and then write them up and publicize them so as to influence large numbers of people in favor of a healthful vegetarian diet ?

Newspapers are interested in stories of this kind. When meat rationing was first talked in the early part of this year, there were ed­itors who remembered the teachings of Sev­enth-day Adventists. During a general meet­ing of our workers in Minneapolis, the Tribune sent a special writer out to get help in staging a Sunday feature story on the nonflesh diet of Seventh-day Adventists. The publicity direc­tor for the hotel opened a kitchenette and brought in vegetables and cans for a back­ground in a picture. A young housewife wear­ing an apron, posed stirring a mixture in a large kettle—a batch of "soyburgers," as the caption explained when the picture was printed.

This feature story and picture came out in fine shape, with big headlines:"Rationing Hailed By Adventists—Termed Blessing in Disguise."

The writer declared that the "rigors of rationing hold little threat for Seventh-day Adventists," and that the 'members of the Adventist faith proceed blithely with the meatless and coffeeless menu which is one of their teach­ings."

The story was well balanced, pointing out the scientific reasons given by Adventists for preferring a nonflesh diet. He quoted a state­ment made by one of our dietitians : "Why get your protein 'secondhand' anyway ? The pro­tein in animals' flesh is derived from the greens they eat. We can follow their example—and avoid eating meat as well." Further informa­tion given the public in this special article in a Sunday edition, with its more than 350,000 circulation, was that "the church eschews to­bacco, alcohol, and tea, as well as coffee. As protein substitutes, Adventists use dairy prod­ucts, nuts, soy beans, eggs, and gluten. . . The church educates against use of meat by means of dietetic courses and health periodicals. Skilled dietitians are employed in hospitals and sanitariums operated by the group."

Meat Substitute Dishes Desired

From that experience and others I have felt that the newspaper offers opportunities for spreading the right kind of information on the subject of healthful diet. This can best be done by groups' meeting locally to study and ex­change ideas, or by holding classes of instruc­tion. Someone gifted in writing can then give the story to the paper.

Newspaper clippings coming back to us show that some are now doing this. Some are fur­nishing recipes for meat-substitute dishes, and the newspapers are publishing them. One busy Adventist woman in Hamilton, Ontario, Can­ada, has been offered a column for this very purpose. A reporter interviewed her for a story on foods and used nearly a column for the write-up. He referred to her as "a trained nurse and Dorcas leader of the Seventh-day Adventists."

The story contained much interesting infor­mation about her methods of supplying the healthful and simple foods called for by the present emergency. Besides this the writer said that she is teaching the people around her in her rural community how to care for their bodies and their souls. "Busy every minute of the day, and long into the night, she spends much time concocting tasty dishes which seem none the less appetizing despite the fact that they do not contain meat, or the ingredients which war has made so scarce. This knowl­edge, as well as nursing lore, she is giving to mountain neighbors and sharing with any inter­ested enough to contact her. She is a firm be­liever in the value of eggs, milk, and vegetables in the diet, and has not eaten meat in forty years."

In later paragraphs, the writer told of sam­pling the "war cake" and the "caramel coffee," that this woman brought in, and gave her reci­pes for making them. You can depend on it that many housewives will read such a story with great interest. Another clipping that came with this one gives a series of recipes for making healthful dishes, free from meat, in which lentils and other vegetable products are used. This woman's experience certainly should encourage many others, especially groups of persons privileged to work together, in endeavors to get wide publicity in behalf of healthful cookery in these favorable times. The good that can thus be accomplished war­rants the study and effort expended.

Home Nursing of Growing Importance

Instruction in home nursing and our plans for preparedness to care for the sick, is another subject of growing importance. The newspa­pers are glad to tell their readers about it. Probably no other church organization as such is giving more attention to training its mem­bers to care for the sick and injured than are Adventists. The opening of a home nursing class gives opportunity for a news story. The completion of the course, the exercises held, the awarding of certificates, names of those who finish the course, etc., also make an item for publication that the newspaper will be glad to have. Some of the points covered in the course can be featured by enlarging on those methods of treatment that are especially advocated by Seventh-day Adventists and taught in our sani­tariums.

During 1942, according to figures given out by the General Conference Medical Depart­ment, 1,205 persons were granted home nurs­ing certificates. There are at present 250 ac­tive instructors in the home nursing program. Since the beginning of the plan, 1,278 persons have been authorized as recognized instructors, and certificates have been granted to 58,395 persons who have successfully finished the courses given.

It is earnestly hoped that our health and medical leaders will seriously take the sugges­tion of giving publicity through news stories to the good work being carried on. Surely our members can capitalize on the present food situation to bring to the attention of many peo­ple the principles given to Seventh-day Ad­ventists. Through the reporting of our plans and our work for preparedness in caring for the sick, the medical missionary phases of our work for humanity can be made widely known. We will greatly appreciate hearing of the ex­periences you are now having or will have in these lines. We want to be of service if pos­sible in helping you.


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By J. R. FERREN, Secretary, Bureau of Publicity, General Conference

 

June 1943

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