Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-24
CORN NOT CAUSE OF PELLAGRA
Illinois Commission Reports After q
Long Investigation.
CAUSE IS STILL A MYSTERY
series of Elaborate Experiments ana
Observations Eliminate Corn
from the List of Pos
sihIIitiea.


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Jan. %. - Indian
maize, or corn, Of the variety that Illinois
grows and IL feeding to the world is in no
manner responsible for pellagra, that mys-
terious disease which has been perplexinE
medical men OF many countries for years,
according to the first report Of the Illinois
pellagrR commission, which Is In readiness
for presentation 10 the legislature.
This very important fact has been demon
stTated almost beyond a doubt by the III
nols pellagra commission. which in its pre-
limlnary report will ask the legislature to
appropriate $4,000 with which TO prosecute
It's researches during the coming two years
Its Importance lies in the fact Il contains
the Information that corn I'm none OF its
conditions is the cause Of this disease.
Illinois Ia the first state in the union 10
recognize the disease officially and to
make official investigation Of it, origin
Soon after pellagra was found TO be 10
prevalent at the Peoria State Hospital for
the Insane where many deaths have been
recorded. Governor Deneen named these
distinguished medical men Of Illinois a. a
commission and empowered them TO make
a thorough inquiry:
DR.. Frank Billings OF Chicago president;
Or. ]. J.. Green, alienst OF the state Board
Of Administration; Dr. H. Douglas Singer
tute; DR.. H. 81 Grindeiey DR. George w
Webster, president state Board OF Health;
DIT. Howard T. Ricketts,. Or. w. ]. McNeal
and Dr. oliver s. Ormsby.
The experiments have extended over a
period Of one year and have been largely
negative. but have succeeded in eliminating
practically all OF the suggested causes for
the disease.
Concerning the corn theory the commits
sion's report says:
THE chief bone OF contention ali of the
time has been a. to the role played by the
use Of corn In its production. In the as
sumption that the corn diet induced the
disease the government has spent vast
suma Of money in trying to regulats the
quality and quantity OF corn used and
educating the people on this question.
Tho experiment with corn was made at
the Peoria State hospital. Two squads OF
patients were taken, each numbering fifty
nine. One squad was placed on an exclu-
sive corn diet From the other squad corn
was excluded absolutely. A personal chart
was kept OF each patient.
In the corn diet cottage, four cases Of
,pellagra developed. with three suspects. In
the non-oorn diet cottage, five cases Of
pellagrA developed. with four suspects"
The commission says:
1t - therefore seen by the GhoNe that
in this rather extended study corn was not
oontributory factor In the production Of
this disease"
would Use Marine Hospitals.
WASHINGTON, Jan. sS-Because pei
lagra menaces the country and other dis
eases are contributing TO chronic invalldism
and death, the secretary of the treasury
today asked congress for Immediate legis-
lhtion TO permit the use OF the marine hos
pitfalls for the study OF infectious and other
diseases.
| An accompanying memorandum prepared
by Surgeon General wyman OF the public
health and marine-hospitAl service pointed
out that pellAgra, practically unknown in
the United States prior 20 1907. may be
said TO exist over the entire country. This
health officer OF a southern state recently
estimated the number OF cases in his state
alone at 5000.
That there is slight prospect OF action BY
| the senate on any OF the public heaNh
bills was made evident at the beginning
OF today's session OF the senate.
Asserting these bills have aroused very
| general interest, Senator Smith OF Michigan
made inquiry as to the prospect Reply
was made by Senator Martin OF virEinIa,
chairman Of the COMMITTEES, who said that
| In the rush OF business It had been found
very difficult to get members OF the COM
mittee to give attention to the subject,
and expressed apprehension that the biils
might not receive attention.