68o MAIZE 



CHAP, cent in the case of wheat. Of the protein of maize, but 1 9 '2 



XIV 



per cent escapes absorption; in wheat about 20 per cent is 

 lost. Maize is an economical food." Table CXIV (in the 

 previous chapter) shows that several foodstuffs prepared from 

 maize are extremely rich in protein, the surplus carbohydrates 

 having been removed for the preparation of starch, etc. 



634. Injurious Effect of Unsound Grain. — Unsound maize, 

 particularly if it is mouldy, is likely to be as injurious to man 

 and domestic animals as other unsound grain, and should be 

 avoided. It is stated that some years ago, when tens of 

 thousands of bags of maize were imported into South Africa 

 from oversea, there was practically a plague of "scurvy" 

 among the natives, causing loss of life and enormous loss to 

 the mines, through sickness. This was attributed to the fact 

 that the imported maize was " kiln-dried," and, therefore, 

 lacking in certain nutritive properties {Transvaal Leader, 

 21 Nov., 1908). 



The possible connection between these cases and pellagra 

 does not appear to have been suggested. 



635. Pellagra. — In parts of Italy, Roumania, Spain, Egypt, 

 and the United States, a serious disease of human beings, 

 known as pellagra, occurs, which produces eruptions, gastro- 

 intestinal trouble, and often insanity and death. Persons 

 affected with pellagra are known as pellagrins. This disease 

 has been attributed to the consumption of mouldy or otherwise 

 damaged maize, 1 and Hackel observes, referring no doubt to 

 pellagra, though he does not name it, that the exclusive use of 

 maize as human food "gives rise to a skin-disease". It has 

 been stated that : — 



"In Italy, pellagra is one of the chief plagues of the 

 country, and it is dreaded not so much on account of its 

 deadliness, but because of the indescribable wretchedness and 

 suffering to which it gives rise during its slow, cruel course of 

 many years. . . . An examination of the mortality tables shows 

 very clearly that pellagra is not decreasing, but increasing. . . . 

 It has been pointed out again and again by numerous observers 

 that the areas of pellagra endemicity and those of maize culture 

 by no means overlap. . . . When once established in a region, 



1 It has been variously called " Maidismus " and " Psychoneurosis maidica " ; 

 see also chap. X., under Diplodia. 



