Medical mystery
I love a good mystery.
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It’s about a disease I had never heard of, pellagra, that
plagued various people around the world but seemed to be worse in the southern
states of the United States in the early 20th century.
It’s a horrendous
disease that caused extreme suffering; weakness, skin rashes and blisters,
gastrointestinal issues, insanity, and
eventually death. The pictures included in the book are fairly arresting but
not sensational and provide a very good idea about how debilitating and painful
pellagra could be for those afflicted.
Personal stories of ‘pellagrins’ are interspersed throughout the book
that convey their suffering and helpless.
The author spins this as a medical mystery that concerned
doctors for years and eventually turned into a public health issue that
involved government agencies trying to figure out the cause of and cure for the
disease. Along the way we learn about food production, poverty, quality of life
and other social issues that related to the US transitioning into a more
industrial nation.
Until an epidemiologist, Joseph Goldberger, began making scientifically controlled tests,
there were several pet theories as to how pellagra proliferated and was to be
cured. Goldberger’s experiments on dogs, himself, other scientists and even
prisoners (informed about the tests) eventually proved that the disease was
related to a deficiency found in inadequate diets. (Now I know why niacin is so important!) It
was especially fascinating to read about the doctors involved and how egos
contributed to slow advancements in eradicating pellagra.
Overall, a very well researched historical book that looks
at the social context, health issues and implications for economically poor
people of the early 1900s. An
interesting book for cross-disciplinary classroom use for science and social
studies for grades 6/7 and up that have implications for even today. The
importance of sound science in our everyday lives is brought home with a book
like this, showing how advancements in many areas not just public health, have
improved our quality of life.