Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-04
FLOUR AND APPENDICITIS.
A Physician Says Modern Milling is
Responsible for the Disease.

From the Chicago Tribune.
Changes In milling processes are RESPONSE
BILE for appendicitis, according to a physi-
clan who has been in the practice of medi-
cine for fifty years, and who has observed
the spread of the disease. This physician.
DR.. H. c. Howard Of Champaign. ILL.,, as
serts that until the trade demand for ex-
cedingly white flour changed the methods
of grinding wheat there was no appended
tbs.
To prove this assertion the physician
points to the fact that where coarse breads
are used the disease Is unknown, but that
as soon as the fine breadstuffs are intro
duced appendicitis comes along as a Sc
Quence. By this reasoning 1t Is shown that
the people of agricultural communities who
secured their flour from small mills did not
have the disease until the small mills were
crowded out by the large ones and fine
white flour supplanted the coarse. Then the
negroes Of the south SO long as they ate
corn bread were free from the disease, but
when the new process flour began TO be
used the disease came among them. The
same results attended the departure of the
German folks from their coarse bread to the
refined flour.
II can remember that prior to about
1875" said DR.. Howard. there was little or
none Of the ailment among the people. In
twenty-five years Of practice among the
people before that time do not think saw
more than forty cases Of appendicitis. Now
they are common.
Large and extended change in the diet of
people has contributed to this. For ex-
ample, about the date mentioned there be-
gan to be a general change from the OLD
method Of grinding grain to the present
method of roller mills and excessively fine
boiling cloths. This plan of milling began
first In the large cities, and appendicitis be-
gan to increase first there. Later the new
process crowded out the small mills in the
country. and the people could not get flour
made by the old processes. They bought
products of the large milling establish
ments, and then the farmers began to have
appendicitis.
Still the negroes of the south did not
have 1t, but in time they began to get away
from their plain corn bread, and they, too,
began to have appendicitis. So It goes
They did not have appendicitis in Germany
until they began to eat our fine white flour
and put in the new process of milling after
our ia shion. Now they have appendicitis
In Germany, just We do.
Experienced millers will tell you that The
fine flour Is a less desirable flour than that
ma nds 1t chiefly on account Of its whiteness
On account of its indigestibility the disar-
rangement of the digestive organs OF the
people eating 1t has greatly increased Inc
prime cause of appendicitis is found IN this
disa arrangement.
Quite small children have it. know one
boy who has had thirteen well-deflned at
tacks of the disease and came out OF all o.
them without surgical operations. He
changed his food to corn bread and mush,
with coarse bread in general, vegetables,
little meat and some fruit, and ne mas
taken on flesh and has not had sympt ON
of the disease for three years.