The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-31
ABOUT PELLAGRA.

Sometime ago there was good deal
: of discussion going the rounds con-
cerning the recurrence of pellagra in
the South. The suggestion mad been
made we believe by the United States
Public Health Service, or. some such
governmental agency, that the dis
ease was likely to recur in the South,
the cause being the fact that the
country was passing through 3 pc
riod efIepression, which meant want
and near-starvation to many, and
this would have the effect of making
more cases of pellagra.
At the time a good many people
in the South were disposed to criti-
else severely those responsible fori
the suggestion. 1t was taken by the
politicians as a "hit" at the South.
A good many other people took the
same view. Others thought that the
suggestion had come as a warning,
and that it was timely. Several news
papers advised that the wise thing
under the circumstances was not to
start controversy with anyone, but
. to find out the truth as. the likely ap-
pearance of the disease, and to take
steps to prevent its spread.
1t appears now that these last re-
ferred to were wiser than the others.
Already the report comes from reli-
able physicians that the disease is
again manifesting itself in this Sec
ton. One of the best Informed ply
sicians in this county has declared
in the last few days that the number
of pellagrins is growing, and that by
spring of the year he expects to see
more cases of the disease. He fears
this because, as stated, great many
people will have nothing to eat ex-
cept sorghum syrup and home ground
corn meal, and constant diet of this
will contribute to the spread of the
disease.
We think that there is ground for
these fears. A good many people are
fortunate enough to have planted sor-
ghum and corn in the spring in suf-
ficient quantities to have bread and
syrup at home for the winter months.
It was the more thoughtful who did
this. Many will not have even this
much to, begin the winter on, but we
can nevertheless understand that a
diet alone of sorghum syrup and corn
bread might mean trouble to the
people who subsist on it. A good
many people have potatoes, both
white and sweet potatoes. Sweet
potatoes are said to be well-balanc-
ed diet, and those people who have |
been fortunate enough to produce
them should use them along with
other things. Milk is also deemed an
essential to good health and one of
the best preventatives against pella- |
gra. The crops being gathered, there
will be work to be done, and the peo-
pie from time to time may beable to
secure other things to help along,
.kthatSis those who are sorely pressed
may do SO. We advise that they do
It.
A recurrence of pellagra, as we
formerly had it in this section, is
greatly to be dreaded. While the dis
ease is not fully understood, enough
is known of it to convince those best
informed that the diet has a great
deal to do with it's cause, and as we'll
of its cure. Knowing this, people
should not try to fight hard times by
subsisting. alone on one or two things
eatable. The menu should be varied,
though simple and frugal. A good
cow at every home with plenty of
milk and butter will go further to
balance things than anything else.