§ 74. Mr. Bowerasked the Minister of Food if he is aware that at least two persons have recently died after being refused additional quantities of rationed foodstuffs recommended by their medical advisers; and if he will now alter the present system in such a way as either to allow additional rations on the certificate of a registered medical practitioner or, alternatively, to ensure that the patient is seen personally by at least one member of the Special Diets Advisory Committee before additional rations are refused.
§ Mr. StracheyI cannot accept the implication that deaths have resulted from the refusal of applications for additional rationed foods. As I have explained in reply to the hon. Member for London University (Sir E. Graham-Little), I have every confidence in the present system of dealing with these applications and I propose to continue it.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Food whether he will review a case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a patient discharged from hospital after a severe operation before convalescence, owing to shortage of beds, and placed under the care of a general practitioner who applied for special dietetic allowances and was refused by his Department; and if he will now grant these allowances.
§ Mr. StracheyIn the case to which the hon. Member refers, a doctor asked that a patient who was discharged from hospital after operations for general peritonitis, and already receiving extra milk and eggs, should also receive extra meat, cheese, sugar, butter, bacon and bread. The application was refused as the Special Diets Advisory Committee recommended that the ordinary rations of foods other than milk and eggs are sufficient for convalescence from any illness. A review now would be inappropriate as the doctor recommended the additional rations for six weeks from 25th July, 1946.
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§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Food if he will review the decision in a case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a radiologist who, to carry out a test for bile function on one of his patients, required to give a diet of eggs beaten up with milk, and was refused the grant of the eggs by the medical advisers of his Department who had no knowledge of the case; and if he will now authorise the required allocation.
§ Mr. StracheyAn application was made in June, 1945, by a doctor for supplies of eggs for six unnamed patients to determine the function of the gall bladder. The application was rejected because the Ministry's medical advisers considered that the same purpose would be served by other fats.