pellagra
noun
pel·la·gra
pə-ˈla-grə
-ˈlā-
-ˈlä-
: a disease marked by dermatitis, gastrointestinal disorders, and dementia and associated with a diet deficient in niacin or tryptophan
In the United States, pellagra continued to be a huge problem through the mid-20th century. From 1906 to 1940, about three million people contracted it and 100,000 of them died. Most were in the South. … Southerners gradually changed their diets to include fortified foods or those containing niacin. By the 50's, pellagra had almost vanished.—Howard Markel
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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