While Pellagra Is On Increase, Southerners Not Starving, Says Dr. McPhaul, July 27, 1921

Pellagra Is On Increase Here. . . City Health Officer Says, However, Washington Report Is Exaggerated

Although considering reports of the United States public health service regarding a pellagra epidemic in the South to be greatly exaggerated. Dr. W.A. McPhaul, city health officer, believes that there will be a marked increase in the number of cases this year.

Several cases are on record in Charlotte and eight deaths have resulted here so far this year from pellagra. The total number of deaths for the entire 12 months of last year was only eight, while the number in 1919 was 13.

A negro sufferer from pellagra was undergoing treatment at the city health offices when The News representative called on Dr. McPhaul Wednesday morning. The department is treating three or four charity cases, while Miss Smith, one of the nurses, has rendered assistance to numerous pellagra patients, particularly in the North Charlotte section.

Federal health authorities base their predictions upon investigation into living conditions among the poorer classes of the south, and Dr. McPhaul ventured the suggestion that a careful investigation like had been made. He thinks, however, that the report on conditions is greatly exaggerated, and that the appeal of President Harding added sensationalism to a condition which is not serious.

Among All Classes

Pellagra occurs among all cases of people, but principally among the poor who are unable to provide themselves with proper food, unbalanced rations causing most of the cases. The disease develops slowly, and one does not know if its presence until symptoms appear by the condition of the skin. One usually has a soreness of the mouth, followed by a darkening of the skin after the disease has gained headway.

The pellagra patient, whom The News representative saw, had sores about the mount, and her arms were black, standing out in contrast against her chocolate-colored skin. The disease is cured principally through dieting although remedies are given under a physician’s direction. The skin of a white person who has pellagra will appear to have been badly sunburned, Dr. McPaul said.

Pellagra epidemics come and go with hard times, Dr. McPaul said. In the South there was a decrease during prosperous years, and during period of depression, when the poorer classes found difficulty in obtaining food, the number of cases showed a big increase.

Prevalent In Cities

Dr. McPaul is of the opinion that the disease would be prevalent in largest numbers in the cities. In the rural sections most persons have gardens and are thereby enabled to obtain a variety of food. Many families in the cities live for days on one kind of food, he said.

Strikes accompanied by suffering are likely to result in the development of pellagra cases as strikers mus deny themselves of all but the coarsest kinds of food. Dr. McPaul said that in mill villages of this section which he has visited the operatives were fund to eat wholesome food and to live with the possibilities of new cases developing in local strike centers was considered problematical as it is slow of development and even if cases did develop, it would be virtually impossible to trace them directly in a shortage of food among strikers.

From The Charlotte News, July 27, 1921