The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1908-05-21
Your Cornbread Literally Full of
Deadly Poison.

10 eat cOrnDreaQ~ III any torn
may run people crazy. This is
the latest scientific fact develop
ed; that is, if the meal of which
the food is made is the least bit
stale, musty, sour, or even old.
The worst thing about it is that
corn meal or flour that seems tc
be perfectly fresh may be the
most affected, and only an ex-
pert can tell.
! The disease does not strike
suddenly and run a rapid course,
but creeps on the victim slowly,
beginning by destroying the
tissues of the cuticle making the
skin scaly and sore like eczema.
From this stage, which never
changes, but leaves the skin in a
horrible festry condition, the
poison eats it's way to the brain,
causing insanity from which the
victim never RECEIVERS.
| The disease has been prevalent
in the Island of Corfu in the
Mediterranean Sea for a hundred
years, but until recently through
scientific research it's cause was
unknown. 1t is termed in medi-
cine Pellagra and under this
name is becoming a source of
much study in this country.
Many diseases which have been
attributed to blood ills are traced
directly to it, but so far it does
not respond to any treatment.
Many cases of alleged leprosy
are now known to be Pellagra,
and many poor creatures have
been sent to the leper colonies
who did'not have that dread dis
ease.
DR.. George Searcy, of Mt.
Vernon hospital for the insane,
in Alabama, has reported IS
cases of which 81 have died.
Two. have died in the East Mis-
sissippi asylum for the insane,
but that is all under notice in
these institutions now. Doctors
throughout the country have re-
ported for some years a skin dis
ease that develops into insanity,
but until recently was not dag
nosed as Pellagra.
DR.. Searcy sent a parcel of corn
meal to the United States pathol-
ogist in Washington. It was
supposed to be the best western
meal and seemed to be in perfect
condition, but the examination
showed it to be literally swarm
ing with the germs of Pellagra.
Maize, our common Indian
corn, so far, seems to be the
only cereal in which the germs
OF Pellagra develop, and then
they only form when the grain
is old. Fresh corn is one of the
most wholesome foods known;
but if it is sour it is more deadly
than strychnine.
DR.. w. R. Card, of the local
insane hospital, has been study
ing the subject carefully and
read a most interesting paper be-
fore the members of the Missis-
|sippi State Medical Association,
which met in Natchez a few
weeks ago, which was we'll re-
ceived, but most of the doctors
in attendance had never heard of
Pellagra before, although they
had all had to do with the un-
known skin disease that de-
velops into insanity. Meridian
miss. } Star.
The above is published that
each one can decide for himself
whether to cut out bread in his
daily bill-of-fare and become a
vegetarian, or run the risk of
going crazy. Tomatoes are
said to produce cancer and
snakes Turk in cabbage to poison
the poor human and if one turns
to beef he runs the risk of a
nauseating parasite, so The
News only solution is raise
poultry for eggs and meat and
corn to make bread, that can be
carefully selected at home before
grinding at the mill.