The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-31
AVOID PE[LAGRA A.
BY PR0PHRD|ET,
WARNS MEDIC
Dresd Disease Comes When
v1tamines Leave, Or. Poston
Tells Times Readers.

reported to be ravaging certain sec
lions of the South. is dependent en-.
tirely upon the kind and quality OF
food eaten by those afflicted.
Pellagra. serious In Its more ad-
vanced forms, is caused entirely by
lack of certain vital properties In the
diet, and Is close kin to the dread
scurvy of the sailor and the beri-beri
Of the Jap and Chinese.
The cause. symptoms, and cure OF
peliagra were explained for The Times
today by Maj. p. ID. Poston. Of aS0)
X street northwest. who during the
war was actively engaged in the study
of digestive troubles of this nature
under the Public Health Service. and
who Is now devoting his entire time
to the waging of an educational cam
paign against the same evils.
In even the most sketchy outline OF
the disease we come Immediately
against the much stressed matter OF
yitamines, the nature and use OF
which are now becoming far more
widely known and appreciated In the
public mind.
Is Chronic Disease.
Pellagra Is severe and chronic
disease caused by the eating OF dead
foods, from which the vitamines and
life giving properties have been re-
moved, chiefly corn. When corn,
which has been degerminated and
robbed of it's mineral salts In the proc
ess OF refining" is made principal
part OF the diet over any period OF
time pellagra almost invariably sets In
The disease occurs extensively IN
northern Italy. where 1t Is widelY
known as Alpine scurvy or Itaiia4
leprosy; in Spain, the south OF francs
and other parts OF Europe. a
Only in the most recent times has
been observed In America, and is COZ
fined only to the Southern sections
present The disease Is generally COP
fined to the lower classes. especially P1
the country districts. where the foe
supply is limited. II Is at its worst
times of famine, when diseased or ~
mented maize is used extensively.
The trouble begins with digesVs
disturbances, of a minor nature,
ally producing insomnia, according
DR.. Poston. As 1t progresses, -
eruptions occur, followed by suppe-
ton and forma ton Of dark crusts. re
digestive disorders become more @
we're, and In the more severe forutoi
the disease there are pronounced rev'
GUS disturbances. resulting in sd4re
headaches, backaches, and en-
spasms and paralysis. Profound m
tai depression sets In and the I'm
becomes a victim Of Archaeological
suicidal mania.
Diet Effects Cure.
Cure is brought about by a cSsec.
ton Of the diet. Instead of the ead
| foods, a diet rich in the vitamin4and
| the essential mineral salts Is proyfed
+, The most important items OF AZ In
which the essential properties are
lacking are refined" wheat fidp' IN
which the outer coverings al re-
moved; potatoes cooked withop the
skins, polished rice, and degernhated
corn products.
| In the case of wheat. the rely es-
sential and healthful portions be in
! the outer layers. These, howevf, are
darker and are removed to prodte the
J pure white flour which resultt in
| ''daintier" looking bread, which. how
ever. contains but little Of The lfi~si~
ing elements.
1.-THE rich outer layers are then fed
to cattle. while the humsn being gets
the inferior inner portion, explained
Major Poston.
! Experiments have shown that cat
tie, when fed entirely on the inner
portion Of the grain. cannot live more
than thirty or forty days. Yet this is
the portion which we humans seiect
for our tables.
.The only manner In which we can
secure the real benefit from wheat Is
by using the whole kernel-whoie
wheat flour"
The same holds true in the case Of
potatoes. The hcaIthful portion Of the
white tuber lies immediately under
and in the skin. Remove this and you
remove the true food value OF the
potato. The true food value OF the
white potato can be best secured by
baking 1t and eating the skin as well
as the inside.
In the polishing Of rice the health.
full outer hull 10 removed. The results
are clearly shown in oriental countries
where the poorer classes live largely
on polished nee, with perhaps bit OF
fish or met. Here beri-beri, merely
another form of pellagra. Is rampant
Again the ihealthful outer layers are
fed to livestock, while the man suffers
in consequence.
Some Foods Harmful.
And row we come to the question OF
corn p,oducts and strike closer home
The yhole kernel of corn Is rich In
vitaunes and mineral salts. which are
combined again In the outer layers
The inner portion, which Is creamy
White, contains little OF real value tc
the body. Yet this is just the portion
; which is used, the outer layers being
discarded. And when this inner por
ton is made the principal item OF
, Diet. to the exclusion Of the foods rich
, lin vitamines and salts, the pellagrs
sets IA.
II Though the disease Is considered al
being largely caused by refined corr
PREDICTS 1t can be caused by Other
deviAlized foods as well.
| A diet consisting of white bread
peeed potatoes, meats. fish, refined
cer,als, polished rice, and similar
fools, while possibly perfectly salts
: IA ory in quelling hunger, would
sreedily bring on pellagra.
This has been proved true In Z
, nimber of cases. One OF the mos
, spectacular was that of the German
, fuiser which Law In a Chesapeake.
: tay port for several months in 1915
Z n this case the crew was fed typi
BAL American diet on the order o
y that just outlined and within a yer,
!. short timesmore than half of tn,
screw was Ill with pellagra.
mi hEA hf