PELLAGRA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16326, 23 August 1913, Page 3

PELLAGRA.

DEATH AT WESTPORT. ['•; [Per Press Association.] j‘, / WESTPORT, August 22. : A death from pellagra, the ne«r disease reported at the Medical Congress in London, lias occurred at Westport. Tho patient was a lady who had been ill for ten years, and her case puzzled the medical men. GROWTH OF THE DISEASE. _ _ A LITTLE-KNOWN MALADY.'. : j In cable messages published a few days ago mention was made of th® fact that the Medical Congress in London gave its attention to tho disease pellagra. To most people the disease has a now sound, yet for years',in Italy, Spain and the countries of Southern Europe the malady has, wrought dreadful havoc and caused widespread suffering. In the United States it ha® also made its appearance, and the rapidity with which it spread caused such alarm that a commission was .appointed by the Government to inquire mto;tha cause of the disease and suggest medical measures. ’ According to standard medical works, in Italy alone in 1881 the number or cases reported totalled 104,067. The disease apparently reached its zenith: then, and up to 1910 (the last figures available) a steady decline was noticeable, the number of cases reported in that year being 33,869. In the United States the disease ha® spread alarmingly. Statistical information to hand shows that for th# five years ended 1911, 15,870 cases were reported. Tho average mortality in eight of the southern States was 39.1 per cont. The lowest death rate was 30.9 per cent in South Carolina, and tho highest, 55.5 per cent, in Virginia.

The accepted theory with regard ,to the cause of pellagra is the use of diseased maize. Italian doctors, who have for years been watching the complaint at close quarters, can come to no other conclusion. It is true that Dr Sambon, an eminent authority, has discarded the maize theory, and has set up the theory that the malady is, transmitted, by a fly of the genus Simulium. This theory, however, has not been supported by later investigations. Tho Italian Government lias accepted the theory with regard to'the promulgation, of the disease by eating inferior maize, and has framed laws to prevent its sale. It is a noticeablo thing that since tho edict against the sale of bad maizo was issued there has been a remarkable decrease in the number of cases. Dr Luigi, who devoted considerable time to studying tho disease in Lombardy, estimates that there has been a diminution of 75 per cent of pellagrous individuals, and, he adds, further, that it is now difficult to find a. typical case of pellagra during what is known as the pellagra season.

RAVAGES IN AMERICA. In Italy the disease usually made its appearance, among the poorer classesa class which lived almost exclusively oil.a maize diet. In America, however, the, doctors have had a different experience. Investigations were made concerning, the circumstances of over 13.000 patients, and it was found that 6641 could be classed as poor, 5359 were in moderate circumstances, and 1103 were “ well to do.” It is estimated that during the last lmlf-dozen years the disease has claimed 60,000 victims in the United States; and, as one authority says, it has reached “ tho dignity of being a public health question; of national importance.” In reviewing the work of th® United States Commission, Dr C. S. Oramsby, the Medical Secretary, says: “ Excluding cases which occurred before 1909, and all doubtful cases reported since that year, there were 500 cases in tho vicinity of Ploria. More than half , the number occurred at ’{he State Hospital, which had a total population of 2100. Of tho lunatics incarcerated, 8.4, per cent showed definite symptoms of : pellagra. None of the employees. how-< ever, suffered from the disease, in spit? of the fact that they were exposed t<j thte bites of insects, and drew .<heif food and water from the same source as tho patients.” The conclusions he draws are:— (1) Pellagra, is a disease due to infection with some living micro-organ-ism. , (2) The possible habitat for this parasite in man is the intestinal canal. (3) Deficient animal protein in uist may constitute a predisposing facto-- In the contraction or the disease. (4) The number of cases of iflown pellagra renders this disease a possibla menace to the public health of tb*. State. DISEASE NOT CONTAGIOUS. Professor Stewart R. Roberts, in his book entitled “History, Distribution/ and Treatment of Pellagra,” states that the disease is not contagious., He also says that it is not inherited, though it may be a cause of race degeneracy. Among the types of the disease lie mentions an acute, or eliminating, ’form, which lasts from one to three months, and progresses rapidly to death. No one, he says, can consider himself cured unless at. least two years have elapsed -without a recurrence. The malady commences with a painful itching of the skin, and as the disease gains the skin becomes very rough, hence the origin of the name pell-agra (rough skin). At this stage of the disease insanity is frequent. After a variable period tubeVcles of a cream colour form on the skin. Tho pain and desire to scratch increase in intensity, until the unfortunate patient is' in agony. At this stage tho patient is usually bound to prevent, irresistible scratching which only adds to the pain.