Day 269 - 25 Jun 96 - Page 85
1 MR. RAMPTON: One way and another it has to be, does it not,
2 food supplies?
3 A. Yes but you do not quite know where it goes to.
4 Whether it is exported or whether eaten locally or what.
5
6 MR. RAMPTON: Well, the consumption estimates are based on food
7 supply. That does not mean to say one is a direct
8 reflection on the other, does it?
9 A. No, that is right. I agree with that. I mean, the
10 point I am making is that this is very, as his Lordship
11 said, is very blunt instrument and is much blunter than the
12 individual data which has been produced in many papers
13 which has been published in the scientific literature.
14
15 Q. I fully understand all of that but would it not be
16 reasonable looking at these figures, however blunt you
17 think they are; however soft the data, reasonable to
18 suppose for example that one of the reasons why the French
19 and West Germans significantly underscore the UK in
20 mortality from heart disease is first that they eat
21 significantly greater quantities of vegetables and fruit
22 than we do?
23 A. Yes.
24
25 Q. And second, that they smoke less?
26 A. I do not know about the smoking.
27
28 Q. You can see it. It is only the right-hand side?
29 A. I thought the French smoked more than we did.
30
31 Q. Apparently not?
32 A. Is that right?
33
34 Q. If you look at the bottom right hand square?
35 A. That would certainly make a contribution to it.
36
37 Q. Yes?
38 A. But again, you know, you can look at the recent papers
39 that have been published on, for example, the risk of lung
40 cancer in non-smokers and the risk of lung cancer in
41 non-smokers is eleven times great if you have a high
42 saturated fat diet, than if you do not.
43
44 Q. I use this Professor Crawford; I have no positive case to
45 prove and I am not arrogant enough to think that I can
46 offer one. I offer this, amongst other things that I have
47 shown you, in support of the proposition that even in
48 relation to heart disease never mind cancer, it is
49 irresponsible and silly to be two dogmatic about the
50 etiology of the particular disease? By all means be
51 responsible about making recommendations, but at this stage
52 of human knowledge it is not sensible to be dogmatic about
53 the causes?
54 A. Am I allowed to reply to that?
55
56 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You are being asked a question. Your comment
57 is being invited on that.
58
59 MR. RAMPTON: I am asking if you agree?
60 A. Of course I do not agree, Mr. Rampton. I think that
