New-York tribune., 1909-11-04
PELLAGRA INQUIRY
C0er1stent scith the HOok7rorm
NGys London Scientist.

Columbia, & c. Nov. 3-Pellagra and the
hookworm are found together, and until
the hcokvorrl is routed the successful
treatment of the coexistent pellagra will
be useless 70 attempt, according TO DR.. +.
H. sandwith, Of London. Gresham profes-
sor IN physics y paper prepared by DR..
Sandwith was read here to-day before the
International Conference on Pellagra, by
DR.. J. ". Babcock. superintendent OF the
South Carolina Hospital for the Insane.
and the prime mover in the organization
OF tue meeting
One hundred and fifty prominent physi-
clans and scientists from all parts of the
United States are in attendance. Dr. Sand
with's paper follows in part:
In April. 1905, had the good fortune
10 be at Boston, Mass, during an epidemic
of cerebro-spinaI meningitis. and the very
pital, by the courtesy OF Or, {. Z. With
ington, was an Italian emigrant, who also
tion. This leads one 70 wonder whether
the United States Public Health and Ma
rine Hospital Service officers who examine
the emigrants at Naples and other Italian
ports should not include pellagra among
the prohibitCrY diseases.
Now that the diagnosis or pellagra has
been firmly established in so many states,
II would be- we'll to md out for CERTAIN
now many persons are attacked by the
disease IN the South: In order TO arriye rive
10 institute compulsory notification of the
disease, at least as temporary measure
@ eject since ISIS I' would oi recommend that
agricultural laborers should be examined
in the states where pellagra is known 10
be prevalent. such as Georgia and North
and South Carolina.
The treatment of early pellagra cases
Without H sral symptoS W nn+n fan t. Ge sf
on a liberal diet, excluding maize, and
by ridding him of the hookworlns which
are so often coexistent- The pellagrous
symptoms return if he is allowed 20 resume
diet OF musty maize.
Italy by preventive measures has since
2,4S3 10 1855. though during the Years 1855
TO 1907 the maize area under cultivation has
increased from 5.79 TO 6-22 per cent OF the
whole country. This points the moral
that it IS the quality. not the quantity. Of
maize which is at fault.
The federal government is keenlv alive
to the importance Of the conference here.
being represented by officers from the
Public Health and Marine Hospital Ser
vice and the army.
While We regard Mr. Rockefener's
princely sift for the eradication OF the
hookwcrrn az its true value we say 8, 90 coo
for the battle against the disease OF pei
lagra would be far mere valuable" declared
Colonel Z. J. Watson, South Carolina's
Commissioner OF Agriculture. Commerce
and Industries. IN an address to-day.
Colonel Watson declared that not only
the federal government, but the corn con-
Stunning states as well must put into force
a rigorous inspection Of corn and corn prod
nets, whose impurities are believed TO cause
pelIagra. In this view Colonel Watson has
the support Of the three hundred physicians
and scientists attending the conference
DR.. George c. Zeller, superintendent Of
the State Hospital for the Insane at Pc
oria, III. believed the country was threat
ened with a national scourge. He suggest
ed that many Of the federal prisoners whd
died in the Confederate stockade at Ander-
sonville, Ga, during the Civil War were
victims of the hookworm.