Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-11-26

many OF the different phases OF pella-
gra, the best work in this direction
having been. done under the director
of the United States public nealth
service.
The salient facts in regard to pella.
gra are:
!. That pellagra Is not commudic.
able (neither infectious nor contagi.
ous) disease. but that 4 is essentially
Of dietary origin
2. That 1t is dependent on some
fault In a diet in which the animal or
leguninous vegetable component dts
proportionatelv small. and the non-
leguminous vegetab bic component dis.
proportionately large.
5. That no pellagra develops IN
those who consume a mixed we'll J.
anced and varied diet. II is said that
ns far al can be ascertained no man
IN the American army, navy or marine
corps has developed pellasra. who did
not have It at or before the time OF
mis- enlistment. The same statement
has been made in regard 90 the Italian
army, this being Of especial interest
since peIlagra has existed in ltaly for
more than century.
Value of "a Wcll-BalanCcd Diet.
There Is no question that economic
factors enter largely into the problem
of the suppression of pcllagra-that
the victims and possible victims of
pellagra may be handicapped by the
expense of well-balanced diet, such
as milk fresh lean meat and eggs, are
owing to the high cost of foodstuffs.
difficult for many of the persons
most liable to pellagra to obtain. 1t
has been suggested, however. that the
protein element which so often is de-
ficient in the diet Of pellagrins ma,
be supplied at low cost by the lib
eral use of legumes Oceans and peas)
fresh and dried. not canned. In Mis-
sippippi and other states where pella-
gra has been markedly prevalent. ef-
forts have been made to educate the
people to n wider cultivation OF these
articles.
Pcllagra Experiments.
Experiments which convinced the
medical profession that pellagrl is
largely due to dietary defects were
conducted in Mississippi on the Rankin
penitentiary farm under the direction
of the United States public health
service. Eleven men volunteered for
this experiment with the understand
ing that at the time the experiment
was concluded they would be given
their liberty, which was done.
No case of pellagra had ever been
known on the farm in question Inc
men who volunteered for this work
were isolated In n new building and
given the usual prison diet for about
ten weeks. They were then placed on
n diet from which was excluded the
animal and leguminous proteids. At
all times they were under the direct
supervision of the United States pub
lie health service. They were required
to work as other prisoners. altho their
tasks were made lighter during the
latter period Of The experiment
Conclusions Unanimous.
The men were carefully examined
once each week. and after about five
months a condition developed in one
of the men which appeared suspicious
A little over a month later several
other men on the restricted diet de-
Neloped pellagra symptoms. 1t was
the unanimous opinion of physicians
who examined the men that six OF the
mer had developed pellagrat and Two
of the remaining five had conditions
very suggestive Of the disease The
men having fulfilled their part of the
agreement. they were given their re.
lease, So that II was not possible to
make further observations.
Similar experiments conducted on
a considerable scale in two Mississippi
orphan asylums were very convincing
not only that pellagra is caused by a
oresided diet, but that the correction
Of such diet will cure pellagra