The recent E. coli 0157 outbreak in Scottish nurseries has been blamed on inadequate hygiene standards. While it is obvious that very small children should be properly supervised when washing their hands to limit the spread of disease, the original source of the E. coli is a major part of the problem.
E. coli originates from meat or other animal sources. None of these animal-based foodstuffs is necessary in an infant’s diet - or indeed an adult’s diet. We are exposing young children and older people, both of whom are particularly susceptible to this pathogen, because of our anachronistic attitude to nutrition.
The sooner we recognise the need to move to a plant-based mode of nutrition, the quicker we will prevent such dangerous organisms from preying on the most vulnerable groups in our society, our toddlers and pensioners.
As a self-professed intellectual community, educationists have a particular responsibility to recognise this fundamental reality and to act upon it.
James Boyle
Eastwoodmains Road
Clarkston, Glasgow
