Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-08

II closed. Or, Evans will not make |
II diagnosis or prescribe for individual |
diseases. Address lettsrs in care OF
Copyright. 1921. By DR.. W. A. Evans.
WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE"
When Surgeon General Cumming
called on the American Red Cross
to help succor the south because OF
an emergency created by a rapid
and great increase in the ravages OF
pellagra, he threw fuel on flame
which has been burning long time.
Hirsch says that by 1880 the dis
ease was quite prevalent around
Lake Maggiore in Lombardy. But
not much thought was given to its
cause until Mazzari contended in
1910 that it was due to diet of
corn. Lussana and Frua went a step
further in 1856 and said diet Of
corn caused it because corn was de-
ficient in protein.
The next theory to find wide ac-
ceptance was that of Lombroso OF
northern Italy, who claimed that 1t
was due to eating spoiled corn. Most
OF the chapters in Hirsch's Hand
Book are taken up by argument sus-
tanning the theory that 1t was q
mold on corn similar to ergot that
was the cause of pellagra.
In 1905 Sambon claimed that it
was contagious and that the con-
tagion was borne by the buffalo
gnat.
This theory was getting along
finely until 1912. when Funk said
pellagra was a deficiency disease,
due to lack of something like a
vitamine which was removed from
corn by hulling,
In 1913 Alessandosini and Scala
claimed that it was due to eating
colloidal silica, form of sand.
All of this is by way of setting
the stage for the latest contest.
The Thompson -McFadden COM
mission, on which there are seven
United States army officers, has been
working for several years in and
around Spartanburg, s. c. They
have done considerable research
work. and have had a great deal OF
clinical experience with the disease.
They contend that it is conta gious,
that it results from bad sanitation
and that the way to fight it is by
building privies, cleaning up gener-
ally, fighting flies. and, incidentally,
GoIdbereer of the nuhIic health
service has been detailed to tho ;n-
vastioation of The oo,,sa and e,,ro -,
this disaaso for .ewaro1 VOC u
holds that it is a deficiencv disease
OF the same type as scuryy and beri-
to do d wi with ' if 's'0 '0i' "a' ho'''i"s
He contends that il deve,oned IN
this country about 90 vears spo ba. M
cause of the poverty of the poorer
people in the south and that il in
| creases there whenever times are
hard and decreases whenever times
are good. This is because in hard
times the poorer people do not get
enough fresh meat. milk and hutter
whereas in good times thew get more
of these foods. -"
Goldberger eives f,rures yh;oh
show that the number of cases IN >,
Mississippi in 1914 was 1900. In
| 1915 times were hard and the num-
Ter rose to $4,000. In 1915 they
were good and the reported cases
dropped to 5000. Times have been
very hard in the south since the fall
| of 1920 and if the Goldberger theory
be true there must pe great in
crease in cases.
| So the fight now is between the
public health service, backing the
Goldberber theory, and the Thorn-
son-McFadden commission and the
contagion theory.
! -
| $.~~, write TO minneapolis.
Mrs. Fl. w. X. writes: a. Can I
| obtain rapcrt on breast feeding in
Minneapolis? f,~was not able to
months old. had ~ n, fieb,~ts
raise him on a bottle.
"2. He eats fresh vegetables
| quart of milk. cereal twice a day.
, soup, fresh fruit, stale bread. no
! sugar, butter, or meat.
| 3. I would like to have another
baby, but I am afraid to face bottle
feeding again"
REPLY.
T,t W it.s 70 tne minneapolis In
.ant annt w we.ale society, ASKING Tor lit
,asas Srasaas anu senoihs Stamped, ad-
"A "A'seu enveiope.
| ea, Jne p,nt VI Ihl!k DAY Is
hho,,, sn. ou.ter IS good Tor MIN.
nnt t Ute uunce VI meat a Gay VIII
strs,nad @ ID. so,na mr,n - ne can nave un-
. soups. Don you give him
| you Keep him happy without
COOKIES?
8: You should be able to breast
1eed your next baby. Read all you
| can ma on the subject and counsel
with your physician. l have writ
ten another article on the subject
| Wnch Will appear shortly. 1t con-
talns one or two new suggestions.
| Not on Right Track.
Yvonne writes: "CanL vo,, ranop