r from telling the whole story in the matter of the shortcomings
in parts of the southern states. There is, therefore, every reason why
the farmer and others living in the country should be urged to make
themselves comfortable with all known modern sanitary appliances. This
is desirable, first, for the sake of others on whom their sins of
unhygienic living might be visited, and then for their own sake, because
there such sins would also have an effect to a degree tenfold more
severe.

_Pellagra._

Another disease peculiar to country life, and which has only within the
last few years been recognized, is known as pellagra. Not yet is it even
known through what agency the disease is transmitted, but it has been
beyond question established that in some way corn is responsible for its
spread. Apparently, spoiled corn is necessary, and while presumably the
corn itself is not the agent, the parasite or organism that is
responsible lives only on corn which has been spoiled. Scientists have
long worked on the disease, and it would be a merely speculative
pursuit, one of interest to scientists and medical men only, except for
the fact that within the last few years it has broken out in this
country and is increasing to a most alarming degree. The disease itself
is almost hopeless when once established, physicians being yet utterly
unable to grapple with it; and while in Italy, Spain, and Egypt it has
been known for a century, there is still a death-rate of over 60 per
cent, and these deaths occur after most horrible suffering and agony.

As in rabies, the parasite, if it is a parasite, acts through a poison
which penetrates to the nervous centers, producing mental disturbances
culminating in an active insanity. At the same time, the agent attacks
the skin, whence its name "pell'agra," which means "rough skin," so that
the body appears as if it were affected with a severe attack of eczema,
large patches of skin peeling off and leaving the raw surface. In fact,
in one of the Illinois hospitals, only a few years ago, some insane
persons, infected with this disease, died, and because the effect of the
disease on the skin was not known, the nurse in charge was accused of
scalding the patients with boiling water, the appearance of the skin
being the only proof. The nurse was discharged, although, without doubt,
she was innocent, and the appearance of the skin was due solely to the
disease. It has been estimated that there are at pres