Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-14
authority on Pellagra Discusses
Editorial on Disease in
tho South

contrary. that points to starvation n,
II cause OF pcllaSra. The poor we
nave with us always. in tho North
ana south, yet pellaSr;l has been
known In the United states only
'bout hftccn years. and stili remains
Exclusively disease OF the South
II Is true that certain classes OF tho
poor are more frequently victims OF
the disease than are those I'm better
circumstances. but this does MOI
prove that poverty is a cause.
ANY condition which lowers vital
resistance, whether insufficient or uu-
wholesome food, overwork. moor
housing. bad sanitation. or disc,.n
predisposcs to pcllagra just as 1t does
10 othcr infections. but IL docs not
produce the disease. PelIugra ly cs
scntially disease OF suburban and
country life. and people dcvitaIizcJ
from any cause living in a pcllagrose
section Country or suburban. arc
likely TO develop the disease.
"rhc clipping referred TO stated
for the most part the disease pre-
faiis among negroes, who, in their
ignorance, know little about its pre-
Fchtion or It's cure. This Is far from
true and IL intended to suggest as
is apparently the case. that negroes
III
affected. ~ as unjust and misleading
as the writer feels that President
iiardings statement u he, with rcf
crcnce to the South
For fifteen years or ever since
pciiaIrh was recognized in the United
states have made q careful sti,dv
vi us cti"l0gy prevalence and trent
iheht AS above stated. II is an in
FICTITIOUS disease almost exclusively
found In rural sections. and anoc,,
the people residing there impartially
ana without regard to race, color or
degree Of Intelligence. Tho scctin,
IN which live. ! treat hundreds OF
Ets"s every year. and less than nor
cent OF those treated are ncrrncs.
on the other hand. ! have treated
families OF wealthy farmers. NOR
chants. ministers, doctors and other.
"hose intelligence and ability to oh
tam AN abundance OF whOlcsom. fooh
are beyond question. In my cSncri
encc. no race or mixture OF rnccs
except the Jew. has escaped ut must
hc borne In mind that the Jcr is
strictly city dwcllcr which. rather
IMAM race. accounts for his anparcnt
Immunity. and races are affected a.,
direct proportion to their numbers
living In pcliagrOsc sections You
note that less than per cen, Of mo
cases treated by me are negroes. aud
this IN about the percentage OF ne
Hrocs residing in the suburban or
rura! sections here.
This ~ essentially n factory dIs
'r!ci, ana by far the greater propor-
Won oil cases are mill operatives ly-
ing IN the suburbs, but would IL be
Just or IN Keeping with facts for me
10 conclude that pellasra is a mai
disease some OF our adjoining coun-
'les are essentially agricultural aud
IN them the farmers. all white. arc
the greater sufferers, But WHY all
TINS discussion? Pellagra does exist
IN the South Just as IL does in south.
o'n Europe and has existed over there
tor more than 500 years. II came To
America along with cinigrants from
ithly and spain. and In both coun-
tries II has ragged for hundreds of
Eears. undated. They have attri-
hutcd its presence to various food
poison!ngs. but have done nothing TO
effectively combat IL. Are we going 20
faV into the same error by fooiishly
attributinG it's presence to starvation
or some other equally illogical theory
OF etioloEyg'
u. a. FERGUSON.
richmond Va, August ~, 1921