The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-02-02
SOUTH MENACED
BY "PELLAGRA"
Possible That Disorder Caused by
Eating Spoiled Maize May Be-
come Serious Danger to
Health.

4AS up do S1dsV W0AoNH W. A~~'A'N
conditions in the South is the recent
: appearance Of a deadly disease known
to medical scientists as ''pellagra. 7"
This strange malady is a veritable
scourge in the old world and the pos
sibility Of its becoming endemic in
the Southern States is by no means
remote.
For several centuries "pellagra" is
known to have existed in the old
! world, but its presence in the South
lhas but recently been discovered. It
probably has existed for several years
: in that section Of the country, but
!. medical men have failed to recognize
its presence.
Now, however, this peculiar disease
fss been diagnosed as true pellagra
Ind the credit for its discovery in the
South belongs to Passed Assistant
Surgeon C. II. Lavinder Of the public
health and marine hospital service.
He has made thorough investigation
'of the disease and has but recently
made an exhaustive report on his OBJ
servations to Surgeon General Wy
Imam.
'Pellagra'' is 2nalady caused by
the eating Of spoiled ''maize' and
produces in person afflicted with it
sort Of intoxication. The disease gen.
erally occurs among the poorer elas-
ses Of the rural population, who sub
sist largely, or exclusively, on corn,
most usually prepared by boiling corn
meal in salt water called ''polenta -
in Italy. DR.. Lavinder states that in
peAagrous countries the corn is often
Of poor quality, gathered before ma
turity and not properly cured and
! stored, so that parasites more easily
develop upon it.
! Pellagra is both a endemic and cpl
j demic disease, which occurs in those
!: who feed on diseased maize, and is
characterized by an erythema Of the
skin, digestive disturbances, and ner-
, vous disturbances. It may terminate
In such serious conditions as grave
eaehexia or insanity; it is periodic in
its manifestations, and usually ap-
pears with the beginning Of spring,
ameHorates during summer, and ordi-
! narily in winter the symptoms disap-
pear to such an extent as often to
givce the false idea Of recovery. So
long as the cause persists, however, it
appears each year.
'FThe disease usually begins with
gastro-intestinal disturbances" says
Assistant Surgeon Lavinder, "follow-
ed shortly by the erythema of the
skin, and in brief while there is
more or less involvement of the ner-
, yo1s system. It is slowly advanc
ing toxemia, the brunt Of which, in
the. end, is borne by the nervous sys-
TEN, and each annual recurrence leav-
es a deeper and more indelible mark
on the mental and nervous condition
of the sufferer The great gravity
and danger Of the disease, it is point
ed out, lie in the number of people af-
:. fected, and in its Immediate and re-
mote consequences not only to lndl-
viduak, but to the race-intellectual
feebleness, lessened resistance, econo-
(mic loss, physical deterioration of the
race, etc.
An interesting theory advanced by
DR.. Lavinder is that if the cause Of
t"'pellagra be accepted as feeding on
spoiled maize. then the maize crop Of
he United States must in recent years
I'VE undergone decided change in
pe respect, for maize has always
p very extensively used as food in
s 5outhern States, and ''pellagra' y
pot appered i'll former years. Thi'
subject which, he declares, Will
ire extensive Investigation should
disease continue to advance.
Concerning the etiology of the dis
Ise, it is said to be an intoxication
!ue to using as food Indian corn
maize), which, under The influence
bf unidentified parasitic growths
fungi), has undergone certain chang
with the production of one or more
pxic substances of chemical nature.
In the preface Of his report, DR..
t.avinder declares that there is rea-
bn> to believe that perhaps ''pella-
ra'' may be quite prevalent in the
puthern States, but is unrecognlzed.
Within the past two or three Years,
br some reason or reasons unknown,
,is disease has rapidly increased IN