The Washington herald., 1921-07-28

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Aenrlkkss sf $780,
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THURSDAY, JULY -. IssI.

servstiveiy estimated by Dr. Jo-
seph Goldberger. dietary disease e.
pert OF the .. s. Public Health sery-
ice. as the result Of an epid.mIe
OF pellagrs that is now affecting
Thousands OF the poor whites" Of
the South because OF the hard
times" that the cotton. textile. ium-
ber, mining, agricultural and ether,
Industries are experiencing.
This is the situation which PresI-
dent Harding has asked the Public
Health Service and Red Cross 70
Investigate and report on immedi-
ately.
Fragmentary reports show conelu-
sively that pellagrs. caused by
faulty. unbalanced diet, has increas-
ed $50 per cent over last year.
and IL is estimated that At least
1000 cases are developing or have
occurred among the low-paid work
ers Of the South and their families.
Many are unemployed or have hsd
their wages cut one-half o. more
In one agricultural cotton State
there were 1.sI7 cases OF peIlagra
this May In comparison with s71
cases during May of last year
Lack Of information and sIownes.
OF obtaining reports in the districts
affected are hampering the relief
measures that the Public Health
Service and the local and State au-
thorities are launching. In Mis-
sissippi the State board OF health.
under DR.. W. S. Leathers, is organ
izing a campaign to eradicate the
disease, and the local Red Cross
Is aiding. The State and nationsl
authorities lack emergency appro-
pristions that may be used for r.
lief measures in combating this foTm
/ OF starvation. and they are forced
/ to rely on nonofficiaI relief.
The ammunition in the fight
against pellagra is food. No quar-
antines must be established nor are
other precautionary measures called
| for, as in the case Of an epidemic
Of a contagious disease. PeIlsgrs
is not catching" Although il often
/ attacks many in the same conmu-
nifty, IL is largely an economic die
case and the result OF an Unbalanced
diet
The three Ms. meat. meal and
molasses.' are commonly the cause
of pellsgra." explains DR.. COLDER
times are hard. fat meat. corn meal
and molasses are the principal foods
OF many people. II they continue
TO live on this diet for any length
OF time they are very likely to
become weak and nervous, have In
digestion and break out with an
eruption that at first looks very
much like sUnburn.
Under proper reatment and with
careful nursing. only a small per
centsge Of pellsgra victims die. but
nevertheless the actual number Of
deaths is deplorably large Food
is the medicine used in pellagrs
treatment. Fresh lean meat. milk.
cheese, green vegetables. and eggs
eaten frequently are both the sure
cure and the prevention
Pellsgra and poverty go hand in
hand. The worst epidemic Of dis
ease occurred in 1918 just after the
outbreak OF the European war in
''buy-a-bsle" days. when cotton
could not be sold and business in
the South was at a standstill. In
1917, when rise in food prices be-
gan to affect the tables OF the
South. there was another aggrsva-
tion. But with increase in wages
. during the war peIlaera decreased
until in 1880 there was the small
est amount Of this disease since II
was recognized in this country.
Last year DR.. Goldberger predict
ed the present outbreak when IL
was evident that industrial depres-
sion was approaching. and only tho
drop that has occurred in food
/ prices prevented the worst outbreak
in the history OF the South.
Next year. il conditions should
{ remain as they are or IL food be-
i comes more expensive. as some be-
lieve il will, we may expect a still
j greater number OF cases OF pellagra
!. in the SOUTH DR.. GoldberEer states.
Small savings acquired during the
war years arc now being spent and
Exhausted"
: Investigation that the Tublic
= Health Service has made during the
previous cpidemics show that pei
:, lagra is prevalent whore tn" family
= income is extremely low. and that
h as the income decreases the rate OF
!. the disease per thousand Of ropula-
{ tion becomes greater.
:. when peIlsEra became wide
h srread in the South in 1905 and 1893
and was recognized. many thought
irhst I, was = communicable disesS".
hut Public Health Service tests con-
Quoted by Or. Goldberger proved
d concIusively that it is due to diet
v alone.
. NO germ that can properly he
considered its cause has ever been
found Attempts TO give persons
d. pellsgra by NEGOTIATIONS Of blood or
saliva and other body discharges
: from severe cases OF pellsgra have
n failed completely. On the other
q hand, when eleven convicts were fed
on an unbalanced diet composed
mainly Of biscuit, corn bread. grits,
{ rice. gravy and syrup, with only .
few vegetables and no milk. meat or
: fruit. at least six developed the dis
ease" DR.. Goldberger says.
Iu nearly all the Southern states
e pellagra is one Of the foremost
e causes OF deaths. In 1916 II ranked
r. fourth in Mississippi third in Ala
v bama. second in South Carolina and
$ that year the disease had only AN-
- erage intensity.
= America is not the only country
that has this food disease. Wher~
ever people are unable TO get the
right variety Of food. there pellagrs
is likely to be found. Armenian
l. refugees in Egypt in 1916 were at
4 tacked nv il. and the British used
the methods Of the L. $ Public
Health Service in erNdicstinG H. An
other serious outbreak occurred
among Turkish prisoners OF war IN
a British camp in Egypt and THIS
III was also conquered.
Although a large part OF Europe
xi.,cd on an IN balanced diet and