Pellagra in europe
The discovery of Indian corn, or maize, can be traced back to the 15th century by Columbus who brought it back to Spain [1]. It spread to many parts of the world including Europe and became a staple food for many poor people in rural and underprivileged areas [2]. With corn being so cheap and easy to produce it became the main source of dietary energy and protein for people who couldn't afford higher priced foods [3]. Although the corn itself posed no harm to an individuals health, the fact that many people mainly had a corn-based diet created trouble. Many people were unaware of the importance of a balanced meal, which threatened the health of many people throughout the world for centuries to come.
In 1735 pellagra was first described by Don Gasper Casal in Spain [4]. He was a Spanish court physician who noticed the disease among poor peasants, and called the disease "mal de la rosa" because of the reddish and glossy rash on the diseased hands and feet [5]. The cause of the disease had Casal puzzled and he asked if it's origin was due to the heavens (condition of the atmosphere or constitutions) or in the diet of the diseased [6]. He noticed that those who had the disease were poor people whose diets mainly consisted of Indian corn and lacked any fresh meat [7]. The first description of "mal de la rosa" was published by Francois Thiery in 1755 [8]. He was a French physician and learned about the disease through Casal. Casal's description of the disease was published in 1762, which was three years after he passed away [9].
In 1771 the term "pellagra" was first used by Italian physician Francesco Frapoli [10]. The term pellagra comes from the Italian word "pelle" which means skin and "agra" which means rough [11]. Rough skin refers to the skin problems that are associated with the disease. Due to the persistence of the disease in 1778 Gaetano Strambio, an Italian physician, created a special hospital for patients who were diagnosed with pellagra [12]. After dealing with many people who had the disease he published three volumes of work about it and proved that it's not just a skin disease [13]. He came to the conclusion that the cause of pellagra was from spoiled bread and polenta. In 1869 Cesare Lombroso came up with the theory that pellagra was caused by a toxin in the Indian corn [14].
For almost 200 years pellagra continued to be an endemic throughout Southern Europe and the Mediterranean until it reached the United States of America in the early twentieth century, where it persisted for another 40 years in epidemic proportions, mainly in the 13 Southern States.
In 1735 pellagra was first described by Don Gasper Casal in Spain [4]. He was a Spanish court physician who noticed the disease among poor peasants, and called the disease "mal de la rosa" because of the reddish and glossy rash on the diseased hands and feet [5]. The cause of the disease had Casal puzzled and he asked if it's origin was due to the heavens (condition of the atmosphere or constitutions) or in the diet of the diseased [6]. He noticed that those who had the disease were poor people whose diets mainly consisted of Indian corn and lacked any fresh meat [7]. The first description of "mal de la rosa" was published by Francois Thiery in 1755 [8]. He was a French physician and learned about the disease through Casal. Casal's description of the disease was published in 1762, which was three years after he passed away [9].
In 1771 the term "pellagra" was first used by Italian physician Francesco Frapoli [10]. The term pellagra comes from the Italian word "pelle" which means skin and "agra" which means rough [11]. Rough skin refers to the skin problems that are associated with the disease. Due to the persistence of the disease in 1778 Gaetano Strambio, an Italian physician, created a special hospital for patients who were diagnosed with pellagra [12]. After dealing with many people who had the disease he published three volumes of work about it and proved that it's not just a skin disease [13]. He came to the conclusion that the cause of pellagra was from spoiled bread and polenta. In 1869 Cesare Lombroso came up with the theory that pellagra was caused by a toxin in the Indian corn [14].
For almost 200 years pellagra continued to be an endemic throughout Southern Europe and the Mediterranean until it reached the United States of America in the early twentieth century, where it persisted for another 40 years in epidemic proportions, mainly in the 13 Southern States.
Footnotes
- “The origins of maize: the puzzle of pellagra,” Euopean Food
Information Council. December, 2001. http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/origins-maize-pellagra/
(March, 2014)
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Kumaravel Rjakumar, “Pellagra in the United States: A Historical Perspective,” Southern Medical Journal 93, no. 3 (2000): 272.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- “Definition of Pellagra,” Medicine Net. August 28, 2013, http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4821 (March, 2014).
- Rjakumar, “Pellagra in the United States: A Historical Perspective,” 272.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.