(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The eating of rye bread, widely prevalent among Jewish immigrants coming from Eastern Europe, is causing ergot poisoning which produces numbness of the fingers, headaches, depression, gastric disturbances and twitching of limbs, according to an investigation the result of which was described today in an issue of the British Medical Journal.
The investigation was made in connection with the spreading of this disease among the Jewish population of Manchester, where a large number of persons are now suffering from this condition.
The investigation showed that the symptoms of this disease are to be found only among those persons who eat rye bread and never among those who eat white bread only. The Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe the majority of whom eat rye bread, suffer the most.
The medical investigators also declared that gangrene is possibly due to this cause. The investigafors are also assuming that the eating of rye bread is particularly harmful to expectant mothers, as the ergot poisoning often results in a miscarriage.
The investigation disclosed that tailors and other hard working persons have often found their fingers growing numb. This condition is considered to be one of the earliest symptoms of the disease.
In publishing the results of the investigation the British Medical Journal comments that ergotism was the scourge of Europe during the Middle Ages but was believed to have been banished by civilization.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
