The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-11-16
CAUSE OF pELLAGRA
Is Discovered To Be Insufficient Proteid
Diet

i Diet.
Announcement was made ut the treas
ury department to-day that as result
of continued research and experiments
of the public health service, both the
cause and the cure of pellagra have been
discovered, and that the spread of this
dread malady, which has been increasing
in the United States at a terrific rate
during the past few years, may now be
checked and eventually eradicated. As.
sistant Secretary Newton, in charge of
the public health service, expressed great
interest in the discovery and regards it
as one of the most important achieve
ments of medical science in recent years.
| Pellagra has been increasing alarming
| ly throughout the United States during
the last eight years, and it is estimated
that $4,000 cases of the disease will have
occurred in the United States in 1915,
and of this number at least 1900 will
have died before the end of the year. In
many sections only tuberculosis and
pneumonia exceed it as a cause of death
The final epoch .moking experiment OF
the public health service was carried out
at the farm of the Mississippi state peni-
Tertiary about eight miles east OF Jack
son, Miss, and together with the pre-
vious work of the service completes the
chain in the prevention and cure OF the
disease. The work at the Mississippi
farm has been in charge of Surgeon Jo-
seph Goldberger and Assistant Surgeon
G. A. Wheeler of the United States pub
lie health service. The farm consists of
1900 acres, in the center of which is the
convict camp. The final experiment was
undertaken for the purpose of testing
the possibility of producing pellagra in
healthy human white adult males by
restricted, one-sided, mainly carbohydrate
tcereal) diet OF II convicts who volun-
teered for this experiment, his developed
typical dermatitis and mild nervous
CASTRO intestinal symptoms.
Experts, including DIR. E. III. Galloway,
the secretary of the Mississippi state
board of health, DIR. Nolan Stewart, for
merly superintendent of the Mississippi
state hospital for the insane at Jackson.
DR.. Marcus Hause, professor of derma
tology, medical college of the Uniyer
sity of Tennessee, Memphis, Tenn, and
Dr. Martin r. Engman, professor OF der
matology in the Washington Medical
school, st. Louis, Mo, declare that the
disease which was produced was true pei
lagra.
Prior to the commencement of these
experiments no history could be found
of the occurrence of pellagra on the peni-
tertiary farm. On this farm are rs or
so conyicts. Governor Earl Brewer Of
fered TO pardon IL of the convicts who
would volunteer for the experiment.
They were assured that they would re-
ceive proper care throughout the expert
ment, and treatment should it be neces-
sary. The diet given was bountiful and
more than sufficient to sustain life. 1t
differed from that given the other con
victs merely in the absence of meats,
milk. eggs, beans, peas and similar pro-
ted foods in every other particular the
convicts selected for the experiment were
treated exactly as were the remaining
conviets. Thy had the same routine
work and discipline the same periods
of recreation and the same water to
drink Their quarters were better than |
those of the other conyicts. The diet /
given them consisted of biscuits, fried /
mush grits and brown gravy, syrup,
corn bread, cabbage, sweet potatoes, rice,
collards and coffee with sugar All com
ponents of the dietary were of the best
quality and were properly cooked. As
a preliminary, and to determine if the
were afflicted with any other
disease. they were kept under observa
ton from Feb. TO April Q, two and a
half months, on which date the one-sided
diet was begun.
Although the occurrence of nervous
and gastro-intestinal disturb
,nces was noted early, il was not until !,
sept IL, or about five months after the
of the restricted diet. that
he skin symptoms so Characteristic OF
lellagra began TO develop. These symp.
.oms are considered as typical, every 4,
being taken TO make sure
hat they were not caused by any other
disease. The convicts upon whom the
experiment. was being made, as well as
% other convicts who were selected a.
ontrols, were kept under continuous
medical surveillance. No cases Of pei.
agra developed in camp excepting among .
hose men who were on the restricted ,
let The experimenters have therefore
Irawn the conclusion that pellagra has
zen caused in at least six of the II
olunteers as result Of the onc-sided
let on which they subsisted.
ON the basis Of this discovery. the !
tates Of Mississippi. Louisiana and Flor /,
IA have laid their propaganda through !
heir respective boards Of health for /,
he eradication Of the disease.
Inst received. many new coat models /