Day 021 - 29 Jul 94 - Page 21

     
     1   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If it were written out there it would be the
              LRNI, and that is 575 milligrams a day, but that would be
     2        enough only for the few people in the population who have
              low needs?
     3        A.  Yes, that is right.
 
     4   MR. MORRIS:  16 hundred would be good for everybody basically.
 
     5   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Effectively.  That, I assume, is why
              Professor Wheelock said, do not go down below the 16
     6        hundred, because until you know better you have to assume
              you are not one of the members of the population who has a
     7        low need.
 
     8   MS. STEEL:   This is why I am getting confused, because if you
              look at the page before on 25.3.1 it says, "Healthy adults
     9        maintain balance on intakes as low as 69 to 460 mg/d, and
              some healthy populations have daily intakes of less than
    10        920 mg", which seems to confuse the whole thing even
              further.
    11
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can you make them consistent, Professor
    12        Wheelock?
              A.  I think this is just part of the evidence they take
    13        into account in reaching this judgment.  Clearly the other
              evidence is looking at metabolic data for individuals.
    14        The reality is, as far as we are concerned here, they have
              not really addressed the issue of what is the maximum
    15        level.  They have just concentrated on what is the minimum
              requirement, in the same way as they have done for the
    16        other minerals and vitamins.
 
    17   MS. STEEL:   I think we will probably have to look at this.
 
    18   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  The explanation may be this.  25.3.1 is
              talking about, when it says, "Healthy adults maintain
    19        balance", very few people with an exceptionally low need.
 
    20   MS. STEEL:   But it does go on to healthy population at 920
              milligrams.
    21
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  There we are.
    22        A.  They have obviously taken this into account.
 
    23   Q.   It sounds to me as if you cannot help any more yourself as
              a witness on this?
    24        A.  No.  We have raked over these coals as much as we can.
 
    25   Q.   You cannot give any further explanation of what the
              authors of the grey book had in mind? 
    26        A.  No. 
  
    27   MR. RAMPTON:  This is just an idea that has occurred to me.
              I agree it is difficult of interpretation.  I had reached
    28        the same conclusion as your Lordship.  I put my questions
              to Professor Wheelock on that basis in chief.  I do not
    29        know whether it might be possible for us to find out
              whether one of the authors of this part of the report
    30        might be able to provide us with some kind of explanation.