Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-04
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.

By Thomas r. Henry.
A hitherto unrecognized but probably
widespread human food deficiency dis
ease - aribofavinosis now Is being
studied by the Public Health Service.
1t is caused by absence from the diet
of the vitamin ribof1avin, found in green
vegetables and in the whey of milk and
may generally be expected to follow the
general distribution Of pellagra in the
South.
The malady was first recognized when
produced in the laboratory by Dr. w. H.
Sebrell, of the Public Health Service
staff, by keeping animals on a diet from
which this essential vitamin was absent.
His descriptions were read by Drs j. w.
and l.. H. Oden, who for many years
had conducted rural practice in the
neighborhood of Waycross, Ga. They
were strongly suggestive of conditions
they had noted in many patients with
out suspecting the cause or that they
constituted distinct type of disease.
The malady first appears in the form
OF sore cracks" in the angles of the
mouth. Their lips have a Redeemed,
skinned" appearance. and scaly growth
may appear around the mouth, eyes and
ears. 1t does not appear to have any
nervous system effects, like pellagra.
The two Georgia doctors set out to find
some actual cases in the countryside
around Waycross and in a short time
had located three women who displayed
all the symptoms produced by Dr. Sebrell
in the Washington laboratory. In ad-
dition to the LESSONS about the mouth
these women has similar LESSONS on the
legs and one of them reported vague
pains in the legs and hips.
Careful inquiries were made as to the
diet. In each case, it was found, fresh
green vegetables and fresh milk were
almost entirely lacking, although one
OF the women previously had had pei
lagra and had been given vitamin treat
ment. Each case was cleared up in a few
days when the patients were given rib
ofiavin, now prepared synthetically or
obtained from milk whey.
College-trained police forces, with their
AAASAiAcNAo oSi fiiiS iitCl IColil1S line Dny-
Slclans, are urged by DR.. Read Balm of
Miami University in the current issue
OF the Scientific Monthly, publication of
the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science.
There is unquestionably, DR.. Balm saws,
mutual dislike between public and police.
On the part of the public this is due in
n froIitipyo1 of
as bogie man, usually corrupt and
always eager to use his gun or club. This
concept, in turn, has been built up by
the stupidity of some police, their in
grained dislike of the public, and their
lack of education.
Says DR.. Balm: "A policeman should
be college man of superior mental
and physical endowments. He should
take a general course in professional
police work. When he graduates he
should be eligible for a position on any
State or municipal force in the United
States. If he passes the examinations of
the local force he should then have an
intensive training in the local police
school which should bear the same rela-
llOll W llAo SOul Sc dS al UlleTnc-
ship bears to a general medical course.
During this year or two he should learn
the local police problems, acquire the
morale of the force, gain experience
under the direction of the older men,
and then, if the executives are satisfied
that he has become competent officer,
he should be given a permanent status.
60 or !, G.
municipal police departments to select
promising high school graduates and pay
part or all of their expenses at some first
class police college with the understand
ing that they shall return for their in
terneship and serve at least three years.
The point is that police departments
should do their own recruiting, rather
than rely upon random applications"
With this kind of force, DR.. Balm
believes, far greater efficiency would be
achieved, and the professional police
man would become preventer of crime.
His job would be far different from
that of the present-day cop"
I'm the first place." says DR.. Bain
most of the foot beats should be abol-
ASliCo' "A SOOO poilCeIildil IL lOO VALUABLE
man to waste his time pounding pave
ments. His work should be done with his
head, not his feet. In these days of ma
chinery the old-fashioned beat has
largely lost its meaning, yet even in
progressive city like Boston many of
the routes have remained unchanged for
80 years.
ut is highly desirable that the police
man should have definite territory for
which he is permanently responsible
Thus he can establish relations of mutual
respect between himself and the citizens.
He can develop a preventive as well as
protective program"