Pellagra, Part 1
Stuff You Missed in History Class
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Nixtamalization and Its Impact
This chapter explores the traditional nixtamalization process of corn, its historical significance among indigenous peoples, and its introduction to European colonists. It also examines the nutritional deficiencies leading to Pellagra, its societal impacts, and the transformative role of corn in global food systems.
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The pellagra epidemic of the early 20th century may have been the deadliest epidemic of a specific nutrient deficiency in U.S. history. Part one covers what it is, its appearance in 19th-century Italy, and the first reports of it in the U.S.
Research:
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- University Libraries, University of South Carolina. “A Gospel of Health: Hilla Sheriff's Crusade Against Malnutrition in South Carolina.” https://digital.library.sc.edu/exhibits/hillasheriff/history-of-pellagra/
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