This is a 60-year period, much of it before the knowledge of vitamins. All institutions in the South - black or white, because this was during segregation - had hugely high death rates because corn was the main staple of the diet and many residents had pellagra from their corn-heavy diet. In addition, even in the communities, there was a high rate of mental illness, since dementia is an effect of pellagra. However, this was undiagnosed because nobody had any idea of the possible cause.
Pellagra is a vitamin D (niacin) deficiency disease that was first dentified in the 18th century by a doctor in Spain, when maize (corn) from the Americas started to take over from local grains. One of the problems is that, in addition to not having any niacin of its own, corn blocks the absorption of niacin from other sources.
However, it really wasn’t until early in the 1940s in the US, after the identification of “vitamins,” that scientists understood the connection.
In the South, they had always fed corn meal mush or other corn based products to prisoners (among whom the disease was first identified) and inmates of institutions, such as mental patients. After one study, they found - probably too late for many - that by adding acidic vegetables such as tomatoes or foods high in lysine, such as meats - they could not only halt but reverse the effects of pellagra.
Judging by the dates, I would say that a lot of these kids had pellagra (which was common in the South even outside of institutions because of the corn-heavy diet). It’s not racial, however. This was a practice in any institution until the discovery of vitamins.
Also, don’t forget that antibiotics are a recent development. Penicillin was a WWII development. I was one actually among the earliest civilians to get penicillin when I had pneumonia in about 1948 or 1949 - when I was only about 2 years old - and the doctor thought he was being quite daring.
We forget how far we’ve come and how fast. And it has nothing to do with race. I’m sure you’ll find that the death rates in white institutions were the same.
Don’t forget that in 1918, Spanish flu was epidemic. A place like Dozier would have been a perfect place for the epidemic to take hold.
I wonder how many died during that time?
My Grandfather wrote a letter to the local newspaper back in 1918. He was living near Madison Florida at the time and teaching school.
The paper republished the letter just a few years ago. One thing he mentioned was so many of his friends and relatives having died. At first I had no idea what he was referring to but remembered that 1918 epidemic.
i get all that but 100 UNMARKED graves??
UNMARKED? why? didnt they have names?
they need to know who these kids are. and while they are at it it would be nice to know how they died.
what if...
what if it was skull fractures or the like.
each life is precious to me.
sunshine is the best disinfectant.