Pellagrous Repercussions: The Mighty Goliath of Tennessee’s Past 1900-1930s

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the early twentieth century, Pellagra was a disease that could be found primarily in the Southern region of the United States, a disease that was strongly associated with poverty and poor diet. Eventually it would be erased from the Southern memory through the production of fortified foods and public health initiatives. The nutrient deficiency of Pellagra encouraged a well-balanced diet and the failures of national and local officials to address regional poverty. Several Southern states that had high rates of the disease Tennessee has received comparatively little attention in the medical history of Pellagra. This thesis uses Rutherford County, a rural county, as a case study on Pellagra in Tennessee. The county has a unique medical history due to the involvement of Northern philanthropic organizations that makes it an excellent place to understand progressive reformers and their impact on Pellagra in Tennessee.