Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-25
BY REX COLLIER.

4 THOUGH the public, and, in
~ deed, the medical profession at
"A large, scarcely realize It, the
1 4 United States Public Health
Service within the past few
weeks has made one of the most revo-
lutionary discoveries In medicine since
Walter Reed conquered yellow fever.
The discovery is that Of a specific
cure for the dread economic" disease,
pellagra, for years increasingly preva-
lent in the South. So sure are the
Government physicians that the new
cure Is positive in all but the most
advanced cases that they have
branded as useless all other medicines
heretofore employed in the treatment
Of pellagra patients.
Simplicity Is the keynote of the
new treatment. In fact, the remedy
is so astoundingly simple that diff
ficulty is being experienced in getting
some Of the health authorities in
Dixie to try the revolutionary treat
ment.
Yeast Is Remedy.
Pure, powdered yeast, taken daily
over q period of from to 10 weeks,
Is the Government novel prescription
for the ravaging skin disease now in
Testing the Southern States. An
ounce a day Of this cheap food-medi-
cine will cause the skin eruptions to
disappear. normal strength to return
and general health to improve. It is
claimed. AS a follow-up treatment
the Public Health Service prescribes
varied, adequate diet Of fresh veg
etables. lean meats, milk and eggs.
Discovery of the yeast cure just on
the eve Of the flood. when 1t was
feared pellagra would become serI-
ously epidemic, has been hailed by
the American Red Cross as a god
send. and that organization has Under
taken the distribution of more than
5000 pounds of powdered yeast in the
Mississippi Valley, where 0,000 pei
lagra patients are causing concern to
health authorities.
According to DR.. William DeKleine
OF the Commonwealth Foundation. at
present acting medical director of the
Red Cross, pellagra is a disease par
ticularly common in the cotton belt.
1t makes itself manifest by charac-
teristic eruption on the skin, mostly
on the hands and forearms, on the
neck and upper part of the feet and
on the lower part of the legs. In ad-
vanced cases it frequently results in
serious illness and. If the disease Is
tests itself by disturbances of diges-
ton and the nervous system. result
ing in undernouriShment and inability
to work
Pellagra has been prevalent in the
Southern States for a number of
years. 1t is occasionally found in the
North. although quite rarely. It was
first reported in the United States in
1864, although it was not generally
recognized as Of any particular inn.
portance until about 1906 and 1907.
when it was noticed extensively in
asylums Of the Southern States.
Since that time many outbreaks have
occurred in institutions of that kind
in these States. 1t is now generally
recognized as one of the major causes
Of death in the South and has become
one Of the principal causes of illness,
presenting, therefore, a very serious
economic problem in the land of cot
ton.
The true cause of pellagra, DIR. De
kleine says, was not understood until
| very recently. DR.. Joseph Goldberger
Of the United States Public Health
| Service has contributed more regard
ing the true nature Of the disease than
any other physician in the world.
BY carefully controlled experiments
with animals. especially dogs. and
also with patients in institutions. he
has been able. to give the world much
valuable information concerning the
| disease.
Proper Food Needed.
| He has shown conclusively that
| pellagra Is caused by the absence
Of certain food essentials from the
daily diet These food essentials are
in the nature of vitamine found in
such foods as milk. lean meat. eggs,
tomatoes and certain other vegetables.
1t probably is found in other foods
besides these, but just which ones is
not definitely known. 1t will require
more experimental work before they
are finally determined.
If a sufficient amount of such foods
as milk, lean meats. eggs and to-
matoes could be added to the daily
rations of the people who are subject
to pellagra, the disease would be