The Inquiry into Lathyrism

A Field Investigation into Lathyrism

El Niño-southern oscillations and lathyrism epidemics

Epidemics of lathyrism, a neurological syndrome of spastic paraparesis, have occurred during severe droughts in Europe, Asia, and Africa for millenia. Causation is linked to exposure to β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-L-ODAP), a neurotoxin in Lathyrus sativus. Lathyrism shares neurological features with konzo, a syndrome of predominantly spastic paraparesis which occurs during drought...

A Note on Field Investigation of an Outbreak Lathyrism in Madhya Pradesh in 1945

tions and compulsory procurement operations. The Malguzars therefore began to pay their agricultural labourers in kind with gajra (mixture of wheat, chana and teora) in which teora predominated. In some cases pure teora was also given. Even labourers who received payment in cash had to purchase teora for their staple food as that was the cheapest grain available at the time. So these poor agric...

Lathyrism

Curative Treatment of Lathyrism, a Disease of the Nervous System

In vast areas of India including Bhopal, a disease prevails named ' lathyrism ', the symptoms of which are identical with those of spastic spinal sclerosis. While for the latter disease we have no answer even to the question, whether exogene or endogene causes are responsible, we know in the case of lathyrism beyond any doubt that an exogene agent is the sole cause of it, namely the seed of Lat...