Pellagra

(pel-a’-grah) [ireAAa, skin; aypa, seizure]. A disease occurring in Italy, Southern France, and Spain, and attributed to the use of diseased maize. It is characterized in the early stages by debility, spinal pains, and digestive disturbances; later erythema develops, with drying and exfoliation of the skin. In severe cases various nervous manifestations arise, such as spasms, ataxic paraplegia, and mental disturbances. In cases presenting ataxic paraplegia the spinal cord has shown combined posterior and lateral sclerosis. P. is also known as Lombardian leprosy. 484