Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-09-28

"HE increasing prevalence of pei
lagra in different sections of
the country is responsible for
the editorial assertion in the
Journal of the American Medical ASSo
citation that lit becomes one of the
most important public health problems
of the present. if not the most impor
tant problem. and as such adequate
provision should be made for It's thor
ough investigation by federal and state
health authorities"
Coincidcnt with the expression Of
this serious view of the situation
comes the announcement from LeXing
ton, Ky. that Henry Garman, II gov.
eminent buctcriologist and entomolo
gist. believes the buffalo gnat to be
responsible for the disease. just how
the insect communicates the disease
has not yet been explained, but Mr.
Garman thinks lie is ON the right
track and hopes that his Investigations
will lead to the discovery of cure
for 1t.
From Kentucky. Tennessee. North
and South Carolina and Georgia"
writes the editor Of the Journal Of
the American Medical Association
come reports Of increasingly numbers
Of cases. some Of them In localities
where the disease had not previously
been detected. These reports in all
probability mark the annual recru
descence Of the disease and indicate
that it Is increasing from year TO
year, at least in some localities. and At
Il rate that demands serious consid-
Grafton.
THE evident increase in the number
of cases. the high mortality attending
the disease and the lack of knowl
edge regarding its ctiology and proven.
ton. have created some feeling Of
alarm among the people Of infected
localities lest the disease might become
widely epidemic.
Reliable Cata Scarce.
Judging from the experience Of 1t
aly. such an event Is not impossible.
since in that country the disease. soon
after its appearance. became wide
spread and was attended by high
rate Of mortality.
Accurate data regarding the preva
lence Of the disease In this country
would at the present time be of the
greatest value. but unfortunately these
are not available since in only four
states is pellagra required to be re-
ported and in only one Of these are
such reports required by law.
Were these data available for the
period since pellagra was first report
ed in the United States it is probable
that some idea would be gained az TO
the extension Of the disease and some
light might also be thrown on the Ell
ology and other phases of the problem,
NO appreciate advances HAYES been
made in our know ledge of etio,ocy and
prevention in the reccn. past The
ease appears TO be attracting less at
tention on the part OF students of the
disease. Sambon's hypothesis regard
Ing the agency Of flies of the genus
simulium appears as yet t. have few
supporters In this country. although
Roberts Of Atlanta in Il recent paper
states that from observations made In
his section conditions are very similar
there to those described by Sambon in
Italy where the disease prevails.
"AleSsandrini OF Rome. on the other
hand. attributes pellagra to water
borne treua tude Of the genus tilaria.
Neither Of these interesting views
rs to the parasitic origin Of the dis
ease has been confirmed. In fact. def
mite knowledge regarding the etiology
Of pellagra is utterly lacking. and the
problem is one therefore that calls for
urgent study and early solution
Probably Not Contagious.