Pellagra, Part 1
Stuff You Missed in History Class
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The History of Pellagra
This chapter explores the historical origins and socioeconomic factors contributing to pellagra, a disease linked to corn consumption. It traces the medical understanding and public health responses to the disease in Spain and Italy from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
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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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