264 THE INVISIBLE WORLD 



microbe by cooking is killed, but the poison is not 

 killed. It remains in the food. 



When, too, such corn is used for making beer, 

 in malting and brewing, the heat kills the microbe 

 but does not destroy the poison. That remains in 

 the beer. 



Such poisoned food or beer, taken into the 

 stomach, is the sole cause of pellagra. 



What shall be done? Possibly in the near fu- 

 ture chemists may discover a chemical antitoxine 

 which shall exactly counteract the pellagra poison. 

 If so, by administering it to the patient timely and 

 properly, the disease may be cured. 



But the best thing is to prevent the disease. No 

 disease is more easily preventable. Stop using 

 spoiled corn for purposes of food or drink, and 

 pellagra is at once and absolutely prevented. 



The corn crop this year in the United States is 

 over three billion and forty-six million bushels. 

 A mere moiety of it is poisoned in curing. For the 

 owner to sell this poison for the purposes of food 

 and drink, is a crime. For the buyer to sell it 

 again for such purposes is another crime. Let 

 government pay a high bounty for the detection 

 of both criminals, and when convicted, severely 

 punish them. 



By this means, it is believed, pellagra would be 

 soon stamped out, thousands of lives saved every 

 year. 



