The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-26

Now that pellagra has broken through its indigenous confines of for eign countries and has found its way into the United States, 1t has given oc- casion for much discussion. not merely because of the pernicious tendencies of the disease, but. also, because of the discriminating evidence supposed to have been obtained in favor of diseased maize or corn as the causative factor of the malady. Pathologists would do we'll to direct their attention towards the obscure etiology of this disease, in- asmuch as the present theory of dis eased meal meets the indications but in a measure, therefore, to put Q stigma corn @ and ~ it's prodScts, @ nReh viii insVitabiy cause tncalculable harm to the plant CTS, and. unwarranted hardship upon those denying themselves of that which article of diet There are many fami- lies In Montgomery. and probably all over the South. who have given up the use Of meal because of its association with pellagra. If the medical profess sion Is not able. within reasonable time. to establish the fact that diseased pellagra permanent prejudice will be- come established in the minds of those who are timid or skeptical.
 diseased meal the occurrence of the disease would not have been restricted to certain localities, but might be lcok- ed for with as much probability of find
 
 that is, wherever corn Is extensively cultivated and used for food. The oc- currence of the disease in the United States would not have been so delayed, neither would 1t have waited until the disease was introduced here. but would have been co-existent with its occur Mediterranean sea, and in Mexico and Yucatan. During the civil war, when soldiers rat.ons consisted largely Of corn meal-and the article was not so ornnh than In fhaaa daVa of food laws-had the diseased meal the prop erty of causing pellagra there proba- ply would not have survived sufficient number of soldiers to take up the work of rehabilitaunG the south nor would there be now a sufficient nu Der of ne- groes to give rise to the race prob Southern States are liberal corn eat CTS. in fact, corn in some of its various com binations and .preparations fur, nishes many their daily bread ana ana years. and yet it does not appear to have given rise to symptoms charaeter- istic of pellagra. In 1888 sherwe'i re- reached the United States. The patient was Genoese sailor coming into the port of New York. Subsequent to thiA light, but not until 1906 does 1t appear that anything like an epidemic Of the disease has ever occurred in this coun- try, when at the Mount Vernon Insane tatement of Dr. George H, searey, there occurred eighty-eight cases. The epidemic being started from few pa tfents brought there from Tuscaloosa. Other like institutions seem to have had more than their share of pellagra, and that the asylums sh ould experience more cases than are found elsewhere Is no argument in favor of unsound meal being causative of pellagra, as it is un- reasonable to suppose that the meal bought by, or sold to, these institutions Is of inferior quality to that used gen orally.
 With my limited experience with pel- lagra 1 trust that 1t will not be consid- cred presumptious should l venture q suggestion as to the probable cause of pellagra, or question the present teach . ings as relates to diseased meal, s find facts associated with pellagra more than suggestive of blood parasitlsm which of course would intimate an in termediate host of some kind, possibly the mosquito. as this insect more than any other has the distinction of caus- ing and disseminating many definite diSaases, among which we might men tion yellow fever. malaria, dengue, ole phanti1sis, etc. and eas6 s6 diesas year VII Ill the list~of those already known to be caused by the mosquito.
 In support of the parasitic origin Of pellagra we need only briefly review inc peculiar charaeteristics of the dis
 First. 1t appears to be infectious. pr. J M. King or NdSnNllleg ASAA.. EoPol bS eleven cases occurring in aE institute of charity at Nashville as the result of one case having been brought there.
 Second, the clinical course of the dis- ease closely conforms to that Of other parasitic diseases, and not that caused by grain poisoning.
 TRi-d. there is a periodicity about the development Of pellagra. the spring causing tito become active after hay ing passed a stage of latency during the colder weather. ,-.,.,-- tropical and sub -tropical-is that of other diseases of parasitic origin.
 While l make no eHort tQ establish any relationship between pellagra and malaria, I will merely compare the two diseases because malaria being a par asitlc disease, has many symptoms closely resent bling those of pellagra. A few of the mot oonspicuous symptoms of peIlAgra are stated to be malaise, headache. vertigo. ringing In the ears, spots before the eyes, conJunctlvitis. either salvation and sore mouth. or dryness of mouth and tongue. gastric | disturbances, dlarrhoe (however this may occasionally alternate with con- ,tipation), disorders of vision. paraiy- sis. and a characteristic skin eruption. which makes It's appearance on those