The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-11-09
Fei.ayra and the Hook Worm,

Nsw Orleans Times-Democrat.
The Times-Democrat has already
pointed out that the stories lately told
= the press-and particularly in the
Northern press-about pellagra and
the hook worm disease were evidently
grossly exaggerated. Those who have
Investigated the diseases have appar-
emily been carried away by too much
excitement, and it is not impossible
that after the manner of enthusiasts
they have sought by this exaggeration
to impress the public with the dan
gers from these diseases and the i'm
nortance of their own mission.
Whether pellagra and the hook worm
have been magnified by some of the
Northern papers-as is charged-from
purely sectional prejudice, or through
q desire to keep immigrants from the
South, cannot of course be determined.
This theory is supported by the fact
that the most extended, if not alarm
ing. notices have appeared in the most
sectional and anti-Southern papers;
but we are 10th to believe that Sec
tf0nalism has descended to these low.
est depths, and even If it has it cannot
do any harm.
The census bureau, which has just
issued a bulletin on pellagra and un-
cinarias, fully confirms what the
Times-Democrat has had to say on
this subject, and thoroughly disproves
the sensational and alarmist reports
circulated. There have been only
twenty-three deaths from pellagra in
q total of e9.574, or .OO0OO13 per cent
of the deaths have been due to that
mafady. The chances Of pellagra are
less than those of death from a shoot
ing star dropping on you or a sandbag
from an invisible balloon. In view of
the fact that there are only Pip
deaths from anaemia yearly, and the
hook worms cause only a fraction of
these deaths, there is not much cause
to worry the danger is less than
foot ball, base ball or snake bite.
But while it is quite evident that
we have been treated to q big dose OF
sensationalism in regard to these two
diseases, of which we have known
Mttle-the very fact Of bur ignorance
Giving the sensationalists the oppor-
tunities they delight in-the sound
@common sense Of the country will
ny opportunity that presents
Ayse1tM get rid entirely OF these two
Imd(ldies, whether they prevail In the
South or in the North, or all over the
country. We have very little leprosy
in America; none the less. we are
watchful of the disease, and are
clad to avail ourselves Of any means
offered to extirpate it entirely, and we
are achieving splendid results In that
direction. II a fund were donated to
help In this work it would ~assuredly
not be refused, and the determination
OF the leprosy would come all the
sooner because Of It. While, there
fore, recognizing the s~ensationalism
that has injected itself into the recent
discussion of pellagra and the hook
worm disease, it should not be allowed
to interfere in the least with any
work under way or proposed. or with
an assistance rendered to extermi-
nate Goth these maladies, as it is be
lieved can be done. Nor do we see
any weight tn, the suggestion that
because there are other diseases
AGAINST which we are waging war, and
which do infinitely more harm, we
should cease our efforts and refuse
aid to extirpate pellagra and the hook
worm.