El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-19

hELLAGRA is at one and the same
~ time a new and an old disease
1t was recognized as epidemic in
certain countries of Europe and in
North Africa for nearly 200 years,
while only a comparatively few cases
have been located in the southern
United States. This is perhaps the
more strange since pellagra is strictly
confined to those races where maize,
or Indian corn, is a staple article of
diet. Yet America Is one of the orig
inal indigenous homes of that valua-
bic food staple. The explanation con-
sistS mainly in the fact that the orig
fnal homes of the maize culture, Asia
and America, have escaped by reason
of superior climatic conditions
Pellagra is pronounced disease due
under the influence of parasitic grow
to using as food Indian corn, which.
under the influence of parasitic
growths, has undergone certain chem
zeal changes with the consequent pro-
duction of one or more toxic sub
stances. This relation between cause
and effect was suspected early in the
18th century. The disease generally
occurs among the poorer classes of
rural populations who subsist largely
or exclusively on maize, most usually
prepared by boiling corn meal in salt
water, dish which in Italy lis called
polenta. In countries where the
scourge prevails most severely the corn
is often of a poor quality, gathered
before proper ripening. or not properly
cured ANDY stored, so that in this dis
eased corn parasites easily develop.
PelIaEra In Europe.
The pellagra pest has been known
in Spain since 1875. It/appeared in
Italy about 1850 and by 1884 there
were so many cases in the latter coun-
try that a hospital and clinic were
founded by royal authority for its
treatment and study. AS a result. two
Italian physicians, Marzari and Belar-
DIM. suggested the theory that the
disease might be due to spoiled maize
This precis has also recently been de-
Tended and developed by LON broso. In
France the disease appeared about 1920.
also in Roumania, Austria and Bull
garia- 1t is known to have flourished
in Egypt and sporadic cases are met
with in various and widely separated
parts of the world. But in France
Italy and Roumania, since other cereals
have replaced maize in recent years,
pellagra has much decreased. In the
United States there was an epidemic
of pellagra in Alabama in 1907 and
sporadic cases have since occurred in
a number Of states. In Texas, during
six months of 1910 Their were 81
deaths from pellagra. OF these 4s were
women, nine men, so whites, seven ne
groes and one Mexican
Mortality Always High.
There is always a high mortality
among those afflicted. In Roumania
there are 10000 pellagrins. There are
100000 sufferers in Italy and upward
of so, 600 in Bulgaria. The duration
0f he 1icaa Ia Sf from ono RI On
years. but there is a steady physical
deterioration, while development seems
TO be more rapid and severe in chill
dren- Recovery may take place, yet
many cases Of long standing ultimate
" degenerate into pellagrous insanity
and paranoia.
The outward symptoms Of pellagra
are unmistakable. The characteristic
eruption and roughening of the skin
regarded as species Of 1eprosy-"Ital-
ian 1eprosy." This skin eruption
usually first attacks the arms and the
backs of the hands. There Is a sub
sequent wasting Of the tissues, atrophy
of the heart, anaemia, nervous and d.
gestive troubles, intestinal disturb
ances. insanity, typhoid pelIagra and
finally death. The disease is essen
TALLY chronic
The rash, or skin eruption is the
characteristic asd invariable symptom
of the disease It attacks the victim
almost invariably in the spring. devel-
ops during the summer and fades with
the appearance of winter. 1t appears
first on the backs of the hands, the
forearms, face, back of neck upper
chest and the feet Cases have been
described when the eruption involved
the whole body. Its relation to the
suns rays has been a subject Of much
discussion. but the most generally ac-
cepted idea is that the actinic rays
of the sun simply act as an exciting
cause in persons already victims OF the
disease
Beginning of an Attack.
The skin in the beginning Of an at
tack becomes red. with sensations of
burning and itching, and usually some
puffiness is observed-an very similar
in appearance to a marked sunburn.
This red color disappears on pressure.
but promptly returns when pressure Is
released. After some days pimples
may appear, and these may fuse into
large spots filled with serum. Later