The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-30
CAUSE or rEllAGRA.
u DOCTOR SAsIBON SAYS 1T IS
SPREAD BY A GNAT.
Investigate I'm This State--The State
Hospital and State Board of Health
Have offered Their Services.

increasing numbers OF the citizens OF
this and other countries. The sub
Ject TO be specially investigated IN
. this State will be the recent an
nouncement by DIR. Sambon that the
British pellagra commission has prov
ed that pellagra Is transmitted In ma
aure only by simulium reptans. The
asimulius reptans Is a gnat and just
like In yellow fever is supposed to
transmit a germ. The germ Of pella-
gra has not been found to exist, that
Is. no specific germ Is known to all
the members OF the profession study
ing the disease. Tizzoni, an Italian
says that he has found the pellagra
germ.
The study Of the Simulium reptans
Nm this State. II II does exist here will
F-be an interesting sidelight on the gen.
-eral discussion of pellagra. After re-
ceiving a letter inquiring as to the
pellagrous conditions I'm this State,
DIR. J. w. Babcock took the matter
mp with the State Board OF Health
Dand a letter was directed to the Uni
ted States bureau of entomology, Of
fering the assistance of the depart
ment In this State to the man who
win be sent here to look into the
matter.
In the meantime DR.. w. ]. Burdell
OF the State Board Of Health Is inves-
ktigating this special matter of the
species Simulium reptans. DR.. Bah
cock. when asked whether the gnat
exists In South Carolina. said that DIR.
Burdell is investigating the matter
now and later very probably there
viii be something more definite on
~She situation In this regard.
The letter to the superintendent Of
the hcJpital from DIR. w. d. Hunter
is as follows:
Undoubtedly you have noticed the
recent announcement by DR.. Sambon
that the British pellagra commission
shas proven that pellagra is trans
-mitted In nature only by Simulium
reptans. II appears that the conclu-
sions OF Dr. Sambon will be combat
ted by Tiraboschi. Grassi and other
European authorities. Nevertheless,
n seems advisable 10 obtain some IN
= Hformatlon In the United States to
determine whether centres OF pclla-
irons Infection. if such exist, coincide
al all with the distribution OF any
species Of the simulium are most nu-
merous.
DIR. l.. o. Howard. chief Of bu-
~reau. has authorized me to under
take such an investigation. 1t will
assist greatly in the work II you can
indicate on a map or otherwise the
localities In your State where authen-
ticated cases OF pellagra have been
found to originate. May ask wheth-
Eer you have time to furnish me a
memorandum on this subject?"
After the State Board of Health
had informed Dr. Hunter that the de-
partment will aid In the work. Dr.
Babcock sent two maps TO the Wash
ington Office. One OF these maps was
furnished through the State Board of
Yiea}th and shows the deaths and
number OF cases OF pellagra In the
State and the other shows the num-
ber OF admissions to the State Hospi-
tai for the Insane.
From January 1. 1908, to Novem-
ber. 1909. there were admitted to the
ehospital 1877 pellagra patients. DIR.
Babcock stated today that he would
not like to make an estimate OF those
admitted since. although later there
will be made up accurate statistics
on the number OF patients in this
class at the asylum. There have been
number OF pellagra patients ad-
mitted this spring and summer. Pei
lagra has been found to be a disease
recurring In the spring and fall.
significant fact shown by tine
two maps that were forwarded is
!. hat above the "fall line" there are
more cases OF pellagra than In the
over section Of the State. There are
Ither matters which may enter into
his discussion. however. because
here may have been fewer reports
rom the Southern section of the
itate. However. the reports as shown
~ the maps indicate that there are
bout three TO one percentage OF
ases in the up-country.
That the government Is 90 use
-Ouih Carolina as a basis for the
tudy Of the new theory OF transmits
ion Is gratifying to the medical pro-
] sssion OF this State. In South Caro-