The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-08-20
Pellagra in the South
Surgeon General Insists That
Disease is on Increase Due
to Restricted Diet

famine only in scientific, re-
strictcd sense" but undoubtedly
has been accompanied by an in
crease in pellagara, the public
health service reported to Presi-
dent Harding today as a result Of
the special investigation undertak-
en- at his request.
The findings OF the public health
officials, the report said, were based
largely on incomplete statistics
submitted by southern state health
commissioners at a recent confer
ence here, In a letter to the pres
ident Surgeon General Cumming
declared that despite the criticism
Of some southern officials regarding
the administration course the in
formation. collected fully con-
firms, in nay opinion, the position
of the public health service with
respect to. the increase Of pellagra
in various parts of the south
Detailed figures were not made
public, bur q memorandum Of sup.
elemental information accompany
ing the. surgeon generals letter
was summarized as fellows tonight
in q statement issued at the
White House:
Information indicates definite
increase Of pellagra this year in
Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi.
Oklahoma, Texas and probably
North and South Carolina. Some
evidence also indicates an increase
in Georgia. In Kentucky and Vir-
ginia testimony points to de-
crease. Conservative estimates in
dicate 5000 deaths and 100000
cases Of pellagra in the country I'M
1921"
Failure to diversity crops Is.
blamed blythe surgeon general for :
the food situation throughout the
south, Which he advised the presi-'
dert was acute in some localities
when considered from the stand
point of a physiologicahy COM
plete diet such as is required to:
prevent peiIagra. .". =
1T quickly became apparent
Surgeon General Cumming said,
that the interest of the assembled
health officers centered principally
about two points: ,i.,.'
Il. The basis for holding that
there existed an increased prevail
ence Of pellagra; .,.n.,
so. The use Of the word famine, :
in describing causitive conditions.
$50 far as the first point is con- :.
cerned. all the health officers pres
ent, with the exception Of the state.
health Officer. of. Mississippi stated
that no reliable n.orbidity statistics
were available for their state. In
Mississippi. the only state having :
trustworthy statistics. the increase
of the disease in the first sig
months Of the present year Was
about double in the corresponding
period last: year. .,s,1 -.
"A number Of the state health Of
.fcers, on receiving the call to the
conference secured telegraphts re-
ports from physicians in various >
parts ef.,their state, believing tsaal
these might serve as an ndexa OK
Dellagra conditions, though they
had no. comparable, statistics for.
previous years. Others submitted
statistics showing the number or
deaths from pellagra in the hrst
six months of 1921 and in the corr,
responding period sof previous years
These data were admittedly IN.
con1plete.s, A careful review. OF all
the facts elected by the conference
fully confirm. in my opinion. the
position Of the public health ser
vice with respect to the increase
Of pellagra in various parts Oh the
south. ~.
In so far as the use of the word
famine is concerned the pupnc
health service, pointed out that It
had used the term in scientinc.
restricted sense, referring 10 oIet
which lacked some essential eie-
ment OF elements.
1T was clearly brought out tha1
in various localities in the SOUTH
conditions were such that the es-
sential foods required to prevent
the development of pellagra were
obtainable: only with dlfnuity, atiA
in some instances, were entirely De
yond the reach of the poorer WORK
ing people.p"It was shown tina. she
situation has been brought about
largely by the custom OF one-crop
farming. : So long as the one-ciop
paid handsome returns, as III .io
case Of cotton in. recent years less
difficulty WAS experienced. Al Tue
present time, however. the iooo
situation. looked at from the stand
noint Of a. physiologically compiete
H;a+ ,s acute in a number OF 10
calities.
THE object aimed at by the pub
lie health service has undouD'eps-
hean brought much nearer 10 az
ta,nmeot as a result of the spfenoIo
snnnort given by your letter. In
No other way could attention nave
h.an focused so quickly or ehee-
tivelv on the many different phases
of the problem. The various ~
hrarches of the federal ana staso
governments will now cooperate 20
I'ot+.r advantage to controi not
only pellagra but other diseases IN,
timately related to economic anu
diefetjc maladjustments. 1t Is
gratifying to report that an .,o
states feel able to meet any
n,ands for emergency relief WIN
out requiring any OUTSIDE a'sis'
ance'