The Washington herald., 1912-05-26
PelLagra Is Traced
To Corn and Vern1in
Dread Disease Known to Exist in Trvo-tHirds of
States-No Known Remedy and Cause
Is Not Definitely known:

Contributed By the Msdizl Society. D. c.
Until three years ago II was thought
that peIlagra did not exist in the Unit
&c States; since that time, however,
case after case has been discovered, un-
til the disease is now known to exist
in more than twO-thirdS Of the States.
At the present time II Is unsettled
whether We are suffering from an cpl
demic of the disease. or whether We are
merely recognizing an aflment that has
existed FOR perhaps many years. Judging
VIC uld seem probable that we have had
the trouble with US for decades.
On the continent pellagra is not a new
disease. II was fret accurately describ-
ed by a Spanish physician, DR.. Gaspar
Casal, in 1T55 as occurring among the
Peasants OF the Austrias. Italy has
suffered more than any other country,
1t being estimated that in 1850 there were
in Lombardy alone over 10000 cases, and
that nearly per cent of the Inhabitants
Of northern Italy were afiicted. The
Italian government by strict hygienic
and dietary measures has greatly re-
Guced the prevalence Of the disorder
throughout the entire country.
The cGuse Of pellagra is still unknown.
OF the many theories as TO its origin
two are now predominatinfi; firstly, that
and secondly. that the disease is trans
mitted by biting fly, and is due to an
animal parasite just as Is malaria. Ger
tain It is that most but not all Of the
victims have eaten considerably Of corn,
but on the other hand the writer has
seen two cases in nursing babes The
malady does not originate in the city,
but seems TO occur among the poorer
class Of cOuntry people, and among the
inmates nf UarfnFfa aeT-1Trune nf
the insane asylums have a very high
percentage OF cases. In other words
the disease usually occurs among those
who live in cramped quarters and have
a rather poor food supply.
Affects Three Portions of Body.
The disease affects three portions Of
the body with the greatest intensity,
namely, the skin. the intestinal tract,
and the nervous system.
The skin LESSONS appear first and are
more characteristic than are the others.
Usually IN April the first attack comes
on, the patient first feels rather under
the weather and usually attributes II to
either malaria or spring fever" then
the face and neck and the hands and
wrists, where they are exposed to the
sun, become red as from sunburn; in a
couple OF weeks the skin beginning to
NNCA otAsI TINS pCclAlb eNuACAAAAAG1 bGhls
severe that the hands look as though they
had been dipped in boiling water. After
this desquamation Is complete and the
skin Is very dry and tense and looks
like the skin Of an old man, who has
done much work In the sun.
The patients tongue Is usually red and
the gums may bleed; there may be either
or diarrhea.
Very many OF the victims become vio-
lently insane as the disease progresses:
at FIRST, however, there are no mental
symptoms.
The first attack usually clears up and
leaves TIE sufferer in apparently good
health, but in the fall or in the spring Of
the next year another attack comes in
Just the way that the first one did. except
that each new attack Is more severe
One-thIrd Ultimately Die.
At least one-third and probably more
OF those attacked with peIlagra ultimate
ly die as the direct result Of the disease.
It Is impossible to say what percentage
hopelessly insane. Very few pa
tients die IN the first attack There is no
specific treatment for pellagra; no known
drug viii act as a cure. The diagnosis
must be made early, shortly after the
first cutaneous symptoms. and long be-
fore the patients mentality Is affected.
The diagnosis may be made from the
appearance OF the hands and face BY any
one who has seen q number Of easeA