The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-09-05
SAYS PELLAGRA IS
NOT TRANSMISSIBLE
This is the Theory Advanced
by DIR. c. H. L,avinder at the
Conference at Spartanburg
Wednesday-Cause of Dis
ease is Still a Mystery.
(Spartanburg Herald.)

never before In the history of
America has such a pellagra confer
ence been held" stated a physician
last night in commenting on the pei
lagra conference given in honor of
DR.. Louis w. Sambon, of London,
England, a man world-famed as an
epidemoligist and scientific invest
igator of international repute.
The scientific sessions of the con-
ference were attended yesterday by
fully 200 physicians of this and othe
states, who entered into the discus
sions with an earnestness that typi-
fled their intense interest in pellagra.
While no decision was reached al.
to the cause of pellagra and no def
mite course of treatment was arrived
at, yet the theory was advanced, bol !.
stored by almost uncontrovertible
facts that the disease is not trans
missable through contact, although
probably infectious. The Lombrosian
theory of maize was attacked, and
the prevailing theory was that DIR.
Sambon's idea Of a. parasitic origin is
correct.
Not a Local Disease.
1t was demonstrated by the facts
given by eminent Investigators that
the disease Of pellagra is not peculiar
to any country or climes but is world
wide in its extent. 1t Is found in ~,
ally, in nearly all the states Of the
union, in Africa, in the West Indies,
in the Philippians, in Spain and prob
ably in Iceland. That there are cases
on the coast is the statement of DR..
Wilson, OF Charleston, and DR.. iWha-
ley Of the same city; also cases are
prevalent in North Carolina.
DR.. C. H. Lavinder, of the public
health service of Savannah, held out
hope of recovery to the pellagrins,
and many other physicians concurred
in his views. The pellagrin should be
treated similar to the patient suffer-
ing from the ravages of tubercolsis
he said. He fas of the opinion that
if the pellagrin was removed from
the endemic zone in the early stages
of his malady, placed in more health
full environment and given plenty Of
nutritious food, he will recover and
stay we'll. But, he stated, if they
go back into the locality in which
pellagra is found, they are liable to
again cantract the diesease.
Is Not Directly Transmisable
"In view of the high mortality of
pellagra and the prevailing pessi-
mism, this should be comforting
thought" said DIR. Lavinder.
"It is comforting thought that
pellagra is not directly transmissable
from one person to another" he con-
tinued.
The concrete proposition was ad-
vanced by physicians holding opin-
ions similar to those of DR.. Lavindet
that the government should establish
hospitals for the study and treat
ment of pellagra.
Is World Disease.
DR.. Sambon said pellagra is =
world disease; that it is not confined
to any one country or cline. He
claims that it is more prevalent in
women than in mon, and that child.
rem are peculiarly adaptable to it.
The ratio is about three to one in
favor of the female Of the race.
DR.. Sambon said that his observa-
tions have demonstrated that, if you
bring people from healthy locality,
and place them in an endemic zone,
they might probably contract the dis
ease.
The Simulium.
DR.. Sambon said the question is:
What is the transmission agent? H>.
thinks it is the simulium, of the buf-
falo gnat. He said that the disease
is more prevalent where there are
streams of rapidly flowing watee,
which are breeding places of the buff
falo gnat. He said that the admira-
BILE work being done by the Thomp
son-McFadden commission here will,
no doubt, rebound in much good, in
that it increases the store of know,
edge of pellagra and draws the lines
near to a solution of the cause of the
battling disease. He said that like
commissions should be established all
over the country, because one body
of men might fall into error because
of similar work being done in one
locality. If other commissions were