Arizona republican., 1921-07-27
PELLAGRA EPIDEMIC : REPORTS DENIED BY
 8 SOUTHERN STATES
[RepubIIcan A. P. Leased wIrel

! WASHINGTON. July 2s.-Quick' response was made today. to Presi- dent Harding's call on the public health service and the Red Cross to meet the reported threat of peilagra epidemic in the cotton belt.
 Officials of the two agencies set to work in an endeavor to carry out the presidents request, and late in the day held a conference. Officials of eight southern states made their re- sponse in the form of protest that no serious situation exists.
 Surgeon General Cumming and Dr. Joseph Goldberger. pellagra expert of the public health service, met in con-. ference with Dr. Livingston Farrand, chairman. and other Red Cross off, cials.
 The response from the south was varied. The Georgia senate passed a resolution denouncing the report of a pellagra epidemic as "damning;;" !" the secretary of the state board of health declared the disease showed no increase; the Macon chamber of com merce telegraphed a protest to the White House. F1orida's state health official contended his state showed a decrease. The Tennessee health board reported nothing unusual" South Carolina admitted an increase but no "semi-famine" and contended there was nothing alarming" Ar kansas reported nothing alarming and Louisiana reported decrease Mississippi acknowledged twice as many cases this year as last, but dis claimed an epidemic or semi famine
 State health officials took issue with the reports of the public health service which has publicly estimated. that. due to impoverished diet forced on them by depression of the cotton market. at least one hundred thou sand persons in the southern cotton belt would have pellagra and that 10 per cent will die Dr. Cumming said tonight. however. that the public health service would stand by its figures.
 Acting on a letter from Senator Dial of South Carolina, President Harding wrote Surgeon General Cum- ming and Dr. Livingston Farrand, chairman of the central committee of the Red Cross. urging them to take steps to meet the situation. described to him as being fraught with semi famine" and threat of an epidenmic of a ravaging disease
 Public health service officials pointed out that their repbrts only gave warning that unless something were done to remedy a particular kind of semi now said to be prevailing. many deaths from pellagra would follow.
 Senator Dial in his letter sent un- der date of July IS to Surgeon Gen. eral Cumming and referred by the latter to the president. said:
 Tt has just come to my attention that because of the cotton situation due to the low price of the staple with the consequent underfeeding oi many smaller farm tenants. tha, there Is likely to be much suffering and disease caused by pellagra in the near future. This Information reached me in newspaper accounts which quote your department. Ii these statements are correct. may not call your immediate attention te the great necessity that exists for not only informing the people of whai may happen, but also for taking sucf steps as may be necessary to prevent and combat such situation as would hold in the south."
 Senator Dial said today he was not an 'alarmist" and understood that 2 pellagra epidemic did not exist bui might be expected under the condi- tions prevalent, especially among small cotton planters.