Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1937-08-05
WITH THE ROTARIANS

adviser for the Red Cross, was the
guest speaker last week at the Rotary
Club luncheon. The following article
is considered important and typifes
the sort of work DIR. DeKleine is en-
gagged in. One of the latest move
ments which appeal to US all is the
plan to establish first aid stations
along our busiest highways. In the
article below we have some interest
ing facts:
Il know of no disease that can be
more easily prevented than pellagra.
It requires no medicine, no serums, no
medical treatment-only the right
kind of food in sufficient amount. The
control Of this malady is as simple as
the ABC's; but in spite of this, thou
sands still die from it and many times
that number are incapacitated..
If everyone would use reasonable
amount Of milk, lean meat, liver. SAL
mon and variety of greens and
vegetables in his diet regularly, pei
lagra would disappear entirely. It
never occurs in persons who drinks. a
glass or two of milk daily. Neither
does it occur in those who eat. regu-
larly the meats referred to, or who
eat literally of vegetables and greens
A small amount of pure yeast will ac-
complish the same results.
On the other hand, persons who
continually subsist on diet deficient
in all of these foods will sooner or
later develop pellagra and, if they
continue this long enough, will event.
ually die.
I do not imply that any one of the
foods mentioned can meet all of the
nutritional requirements of the body
far from it. only wish to point out
how little of the right kind of food is
needed to prevent this scourge. We
have at least progressed one step
when we do that much.
In the period from 1927 to 1885, the
Red Cross distributed some 100000
pounds Of pure yeast through its
chapters and well over 100000 pack
ages of garden seeds. The largest
seed distribution was made in the
spring of 1881 when Gil, 900 packages
containing from thirteen to eighteen
varieties of seeds were given to, as
many families. Each package weighed
four pounds, enough to plant one
quarter to one half an acre. Literally
thousands of acres of fertile land
were converted that year into gardens
in sections of the country where gar
dening had become lost art. Eami-
lies that had previously depended. on
cotton and some other "cash CROP for
trading at the grocery stores and
commissaries, now raised part Of
their own food supply and, what, was
even more significant, these gardens
provided the protective foods. Sc
much needed. Canning and othel
methods of preserving foods made
them available for winter use. ALL d
this was done with the corporation
of health departments, physicians
farm and home demonstration agents
and others.
Pure yeast is one of the most pot
emit remedies known at present fOn tn,
treatment of this disease. This pro
duct is available commercially in DIR,
flakes or powdered form. In prope
dosage it will effect g. conphstR cur
in the large majority Of. pa3Sagra ps
tents in fro msix. to TEN weeks-eve
without any alteration i'm the usna
! diet.
The Red Cross plans To continue IN
struction in nntrition through il
a many hundreds of charasrs and I
| promote gardening and the distribt
/ ton of pure yeast. These, for tn
: present at least, are the all-impor
e ant pellagra control measures.