"Julia Altshuler" > wrote in message
. ..
> Steve Pope wrote:
>
>> It is by no means a myth that you need a sufficient intake of
>> essential amino acids to avoid diseases like pellagra.
>
>
> Thanks for that information. Until a second ago when I checked on it, I
> would have associated pellagra with a vitamin B3 deficiency only, and not
> with an amino acid deficiency as well.
>
>
> When reading the Wikipedia information on pellagra, I came across this:
> "There has been speculation that the legend of vampires may have been
> furthered in the 1700s during pellagra outbreaks in Europe." Ooh, I love
> that sort of stuff. The connection between ergot and witchcraft is
> another example. Love it.
>
>

Some say it was the ergot in the bread mold of 1350-1500 Italy that caused
the outburst of creative innovation in art that some call the "Renaissance."