The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-11-06
HOW TO STOP 1T
English Physician Reads Interesting Paper
on Pellagra al
COLUMBIA CONFERENCE


Dr.. Sandwich, of London, Tells How
Italy, Where Pellagra is Widely
I Prevalent, Has Reduced Mortality.
Many Cases Found Among Egyp-
tians--Urges Preventative Rule.
I. The following paper by DR.. F. NJ.
Sandwich. OF London, England,
Gresham professor Of physics was
read at the pellagra conference in
Columbia Wednesday afternoon: II
feel that my first words must be
those of congratulation and eLaoIr-
agement to the many physicians in
the Southern. States who are now
working at the various problems con-
nected with pellagra. Cong:atuia-
tion in the first place, because they
have discovered the existance Of the
disease, because they have impress
ed this discovery upon others 50
that the presence of pellagra is now
thoroughly recognized.
); IF l venture also to encourage
American co-workers, it is not with
any improper desire to draw atten-
tion to my own work, but because
happen to be in the unique position
(with regard to this one disease). of
being able to appreciate their diff
fculties.
"In spite of denials from Ameri-
can authorities on medicine l have
always suspected that pellagra might
exist unrecognized in the South. and
at one time I requested my friends
to put me into communication with
the poorest folk of The maize. eat
ing districts. l was referred to a
settlement lin Eastern Virginia for
pauper negroes, but on investigation
1 found that the inmates lived in
stone houses, on pork rations, and
I came to the conclusion that the
word poverty represented no con-
| dftion in America, which could COM
pare with the misery. of the impover-
ished: peasants of Italy, Roumania
or Egypt.
afn April, 1905, had the good
fortune to be- ut Boston during al
epidemic Of cerebro spinal menia-
gifts, and the very first patient whom
| / saw at the city. hospital by the
courtesy of&Drc c.; F.aWithington, was
an Italian emigrant, who also dis
played a well marked pellagrous
eruption. This leads one to wonder
whether the United States public
health and marine hospital service
officers who examine the emigrants
at Naples and other Italian ports
should not include pellagra among
the prohibitory diseases.
Now, that the diagnois of pella-
gra has been firmly established in
so many States, it would be well
to find out for certain how many.
PERSONS are attacked by the disease
III the South. In order TO arrive
at any correct figures, it might be
well to institute compulsory notifi-
cation Of the. disease at least as a
temporary measure. In Italy there
has been law to that effect since
1883. l would also recommend that
agricultural laborers should be eX-
amined in the States where pellI-
era is known to be prevalent, such
as Georgia and North and South Car
olina. This might be done in Feb
ruary or March, when the eruption
is likely to be present.
In 1901 and 1902 obtained
permission to examine 500 Egyptian
peasants who were actually at work
in the fields. They all stoutly de-
MED that they were i'll and their
employers who were with them stat
ed they could all do a fair days
work, but in every field found
early cases of pellagra, bearing from
Is per cent in well-to-do districts
to 62 per cent in the inhabitants Of
the poorest hamlets.
"The treatment of early pellagra
cases without mental symptoms can
be successfully accomplished by put
ting the patient on liberal diet.
excluding maize and by ridding him
of the hookworms which are so Of
ten co-existent, but the pellagrous
symptoms return if he is allowed ~
resume q diet. of musty maize. Va
rious preparations Of arsenic are used
in advanced cases but when the brain
is attacked there is small hope for
the patient unless by serotherapy
Pellagra is essentially a disease
which cries for preventive measures.
Italy by preventive measures. has
since 1883 reduced the mortality Of
pellagra from 3,4S3 to 1888, though
during the years 1882 TO 1907 tAe
maize area under cultivation has In
creased from $40 to SIS per Gems
of the whole country. This points
the moral that it is the quality, NOT
the quantity of maize which is a.
fault. There are certain general
cxioms which prove true in Italy