The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-09-26
pELLAGRA, A NERVOUS DISORDER

cal reforms be inaugurated.
PELLAGRA, A NERVOUS DISORDER
Interest In pellagra in this section
is so intense that anything that tends
to throw light on the subject is eager
ly received. Much has been said and
written on the cause OF the disease
and many theories have been put
forth, none of which explain all of
the circumstances surrounding the
sudden appearance OF the mysterious
scourge. The latest theory is that OF
prominent Atlanta physician who
sets forth strong evidence tending to
show that pellagra is due to disor-
der OF the nervous system. and that it
is a nervous disease entirely He de-
clares that:
THE cause OF pellagra is not known.
The theory that 1t is due TO eating
moldy corn hardly explains the sudde.
wave of pellagra which is now sweep
ing over this part OF the country. " Il
IS due to bad corn. WHY have We not
had pellagra epidemics il the past? TO
the sand fly theory, bufla'o gnat .heo-
~ and to all others thus far advances
there are more or less fatal objections.
and the causation o. tbs great plague
remains shrouded a mystery.
But the symptoms and manifesto
tons OF pellagra are not SO elusive.
and of these We may speak with some
degree of certainty.
Because Of the fact that one symp-
tom Of pellagra is a chapped-like erup-
ton on the backs OF the wxists and
occasionally al other points, there j.
a tendency to consider this malady
a skin disease and We find Il occupy
ing a place in me modern text books
devoted to the skin. On the other
hand the prominence OF disturbance Of
the intestine has led many to think Of
pelIagra as essentially digestive dis
turbance, but a closer inspecti0,. of
the facts would seem TO Indicate thar
the earliest, most persistent an most
profound symptoms are dlreetls due
10 disease Of the nervous system says
a leading text boQk on skin diseases
The disease is frequently preceded FOR
several weeks or longer by lsssitn.iei
great fatigue. vertigo and headache.
All OF these manifestations arr purely
nervous in origin.
"But more significant atill Is the fact
that all pellagrins are melancholy and
that large per cent Of them becoms
mentally unbalanced II has beer
stated that nearly ten per cent Of th'
cases thus far reported have beer
found In asylums. Moreover. th'
weakness IN the lower limbs 50 ofteI
complained of Is significant
"A curious feature Of this dissase /
: that the eruptions on the two hand
z are symmetrical. almost exactly
!, matching one another. This symme
: try could result from disturbance 0
I the roots Or the nerves governing hi
3 blood supply to the affected parts. ant
: Is hard to account for on any othe
{ theory. The eruption could also b
Q ascribed,' says the authority abos
4 quoted. 10 circulatory weakness am
o nerve influence Neusser has report
! ed cases In gypsy children Of Ron
y mania who went entirely naked. "
Z showed the peculiar eruption on n
= back Of the hands aud wrists onll
: This fact would seem TO negative ID
x idea that ihs effect 81 the suns ray
on the exposed backs Of the hands
L responsible for the appearance Of II
: eruption.
4 Most significant 81 all. however. II
u the post-mortem finding ID pellagrini
" These.to again quote. are as follows
q THE post-mortem reveals pachy-meI
Y lngitls. sclerosis 81 the brain ~
% spinal cord together with anemic an
10 degensratlye conditions Of Internal o
O. gans.".
y In conclusion. we might point D
70 mat the disease commonly called shIl
q gIes (herpes zosterJ was for a Ion
% time thought to be purely a skin d
Y. ease. but II now recognized on /
70 sides as a nervous affection. the ernl
y. ton usually following the line
Y GONE superficial nerve"
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