The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-27
HEALTH SERVICE
 AND RED CROSS
 ARE MOBILIZlk( (
tContinued from Page one)

AFohh aBE OnCt
 gave warning that unless somethir 6 were done to remedy a "particuls Q kind of semi starvation" said to be prevailing. many deaths from pc lagra would follow.
 After setting out that the depref sion of the cotton market and condi@ tions generally have reduced thou sands of persons to a limited diet, which produces pellagra. the public health service report said:
 Tt takes about we months of this particular kind of semi i-starvatlGn before pellagra begins to manifest itself, but after that 1t does so with is now well under way"
 Senator Dial in his letter, sent un- der date of July IS, to Surgeon Gen era1 Cummins. and referred by the latter to the President. said:
 Tt has just come to my attention that because of the cotton situation in he south, due to the low price of the staple, with the consequent un- der feeding of many of the smaller farm tenants, that there is likely to be much suffering and disease caused
  near future. This information reached me in newspaper accounts which quote your department. If these statements are correct, may I not call your immediate attention to the great necessity that exists for not only informing the people os what may happen, but also for talk ing such steps as may be necessary to prevent and combat such situa- ri rh iu- ease again take hold In the south.
 T was under the impression that with the stamping out of pellagra in A few years the hospital at Spartan burg, S. C., had been discontinued, or was only performing part of It's former work. However this may be, I desire to call your attention to the great necessity of taking such steps now by continuing the work at Spar tanburg as may appear proper to pre- vent a repetition of this disease in that locality"
 Fears Epidemic
 Senator Dial said today he was not an "alarmist" and understod that d pellegra epidemic did not exist but might be expected under the condi- tions prevalent, especially among small cotton planters Senator Dial said that he knew many laborers who have been laid off, workmen and small farmers were being forced to economize on their foodstuffs. Due to the enforced eating of corn products alone, Senator Dial said, he feared that pellegra in wide form might result
 Senator Harris,A democrat Of Geor- gia, attempted during the day to reach Surgeon General Cumming to discuss tha poi1aCra situation di-ecfIv r6- lated to Georgia. Senator Harris said reports reaching him wers t.aat the published reports coming from the officials were exaggerated and that no such conditions existed as alleged.
 Senator Harris received a telegram from the Atlanta Chamber of Com merce saying:
 "We strongly protest published re- ports of alarming pellagra menace and semi famine conditions in cotton belt as unwarranted by the facts and likely to prove another serious blow to the south. Reports to state health board show no increase over last year and no prospect of such menace as indicated. Situation certainly does not justify such adverse comment"
 Another telegra mfrom Clark Howell, editor of the Atlanta Consti- tuition said:
 Bureau of health reports concern ing pellagra conditions alleged to exist in the southern cotton belt does great injustice to Georgia. These reports should make clear just what states are referred. Tn original re- port published last week statement made by federal board of health Uaat Georgia having more diversified crops was less affected than any other southern state and that trouble was confined chiefly to Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. This expression should be emphasized since reports by the Associated Press last night indi cate condition Is widespread"