Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-10
tBy Barton B. Smith, NJ. d

There has been a great dea; writ
ing on the subject of pellagra and
Indian corn in. an uncertain and spec
ulative manner, tending TO fix the
popular opinion, that diseased corn
or its products as they are now used
in America, are directly or indirectly
responsible for the development and
wide spread of pellagra in the South.
After all that has been written along
this line, there has not yet, to my
mind, been introduced a clear and
conclusive argument in this unjust
indictment against one of the most
economical. wholesome and healthful
foods of creation. To discuss the
subject intelligently with the public
it is first necessary TO give a clear
and concise history or treatise of pei
lagra from some admitted authorities.
| therefore quote from the pen OF
William Allen Pussy, NJ. d.. professor
or dermatolcgy in the University OF
Illinois; dermatologist TO st. Luke
and Cook County Hospital Derma-
tological Association, written in 1907.
"Pellagra; Lombardian leprosy,
Endeir'c erytheml. Nal Tcsso.-
"Pelagra is an endemic tropical
disease of toxic origin, occurring
tchiefly or exclusively in peasants
who habitually eat diseased maize,
and characterized by CASTRO intestin-
al, cerebro-spinal, and cutaneous
symptoms.
The disease comes on gradually,
nearly always in the spring, with
weakness, articular pains, giddiness,
headache, and severe burning. pain in
the back, which radiates 20 the ex-
tremities, and are especially notice
able in the feet, and hands With
these there are symptoms of CASTRO
intestinal catarrh, furred tongue,
tense and painful epithelium, loose
bowels, and sometimes jaundice
These manifestations of the disease
may DlttCuC ". NCChSf ILL., oPf~>e
ance Of the eruptions.
"Eruptions-The skin symptoms
appear suddenly. often within "a
hours, as difused erthem. If either
a dark red or bright shade of red
This may be simply hyperaemia
which disappears on pressure, or
livid congestion. with or without hem
orrhage into the skin. Buliae occur
in rare cases, and are followed by in
dolent erosions. The skin is swollen
and burns and itches severity. After
about two weeks the erthemia sub
sides and disquamation of the epider-
mis- occurs, first in large fakes, after
wards in branny scales. Upon the dis
appearance Of the active process the
skin is left augmented and somewhat
thickened. Repeated attacks occur
from year to year, and with the sub
sidence of each attack the plgmenta-
ton and the thickening are increased
and this continues for several years.
After four or five years the thickened
skin begins to undergo atrophy and
takes on the characteristics of the
senile skin; keratose like senile kero-
tose form, and the skin becomes thin,
loose, and dry, wrinkled and pigment
ed. AS the disease continues from
year to year the more and mere ex-
tens!ve it becomes and the atrophic
change may ultimately extend all over
the body. At the same time, with
these objective changes there may be
some change OF sensibility in the af-
fected area.
The distributions is one of the
most characteristics features: the
eruption is confined to the parts which
are exposed to the sun. the back OF
the hands Cthe most characteristic
Iocations), the forearms, face, neck
and dosum of the feet. II appears
first upon the back Of the hands Be
ginning in the spring, the disease
lasts until July OF August and then de-
cIines. II may entirely disappear IN
winter to reappear the following
spring. usually with aggravated in
tensity. After two or three years all
Of the constitutional symptoms be-
come exaggerated. The tongue be-
comes red and dry. there is burning
sensation in the mouth, swallowing