The Princeton union., 1912-06-13
SEEK CAUS OF
DREAD DISEASE
Thompson -McFadden Commits.
sion Studying Pe||agra.
EXPERTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA,

Treatment and Study of Their Cases
Expeditions Experiments Will Cover
Five or Six Months.
The spread Of pellagra, one of the
most battling diseases known to sci.
ence, has become so alarming in the
southern states that the Thompson
McFadden pellagra commission is
spending five or six months at Spar
tanburg, S. c., making an exhaustive
study Of the disease. The expedition
has full field equipment to carry on
its experiments.
In South Carolina last year 1000
cases Of the disease were reported.
and it is believed this is only a small
percentage Of the actual cases. Re-
porting Of cases by physicians is not
compulsory.
To Bring Patients North.
Arrangements have been made to
bring patients to the Postgraduate
hospital in New York this summer for
curative purposes and incidentally for
research work as to the course of
treatment to which the disease best
responds. It is also planned that the
commission shall carry on investiga-
tions in the home Of the sufferers or
In some institution near by, where a
temporary laboratory can be establish
ed in addition to the field laboratory.
The pellagra commission consists of
DR.. Joseph F. Siler. captain medical
corps, q. S. A.; DR.. Philip e. Garri-
son, surgeon U. S. ~. and DR.. Ward
J. MacNeal, assistant director depart
ment of laboratories of the New York
Postgraduate Medical school. Drs.
Sller and Garrison have both been in
terested in the government investiga-
tion of the disease for three or four
years, and DR.. MacNeal was a mem.
Der of the Illinois pellagra commits
sion.
The work to be done in the New
York hospital is regarded as supple
mentary to that of the commission, as
the curative ministrations employed
will depend to large extent upon the
discoveries as to the cause made by
the commission. Four laboratories
have been especially equipped in the
tropical disease division Of the hos
pital for the purposes of the research
work.
Peliagra's Symptoms Described.
DR.. Siler in describing pellagra said
It's first manifestation is an affection
of the skin on the back Of the hands
and the top of the feet similar in ap-
pearance to sunburn. This condition
may exist for two or three months,
then disappear; it may be accompanied
by severe intestinal disturbances
Through the winter months the suffer-
er will show no trace Of the disease.
but with the return of hot weather the
skin eruptions will again appear.
In the later stages the nervous sys-
TEN is profoundly affected, so that
many Of the patients become insane.
and large numbers of them are found
in southern asylums. According to
DR.. Siler, about one case in five results
in death at the present time. In the
earlier stages. the physician said, the
disease may pass unnoticed or be con-
fused with something else. and DR..
Siler advanced this as one Of the fac
tors which he believes account for
the small number of cases reported.
Cause Of Disease Unknown.
DR.. Siler says numerous theories
have been advanced as to the cause
of the disease, but none of them has
been universally accepted. and not one
Is convincing to those conversant with
the disease The physician was un-
willing to express an opinion as to
what the result of the commissions in
vestigation will be. The disease has
been ascribed to the consumption of
corn food products: it has been said
it is contagious disease, carried by
means Of the buffalo bug, and it also
has been conjectured it is simply a
peculiar manifestation Of malnutrition.
1t seems to affect whites more readily
than negroes, Dr. Siler said.
The expedition was made possible by
Colonel Robert NJ. Thompson of New
York and John NJ. McFadden Of Phil
adelphia, who gave $4,000 for it. The
scientists are assisted by two experts,
who have been in the field for some
time working under DR.. L. o. Howard
OF the department Of agriculture.