Gaspar Casal

Gaspar Casal

Portrait of Gaspar Casal

Born	1680
Birth place	Girona, Spain
Died	1759
Place of death	Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Known for	Describing pellagra

Gaspar Casal (1680 – 1759) was a prominent Spanish physician known for his pioneering work in identifying and describing the disease pellagra. His observations and documentation of the condition were among the first in medical history, contributing significantly to the understanding of nutritional deficiencies.

Early Life and Education

Gaspar Casal was born in 1680 in Girona, Spain. Little is known about his early life, but he pursued medical studies, which were likely influenced by the medical practices of the time. He eventually became a physician, practicing in various parts of Spain.

Medical Career

Casal's most notable work occurred during his time in Asturias, a region in northern Spain. It was here that he observed a peculiar disease affecting the local population, characterized by skin lesions, diarrhea, and mental disturbances. This condition was prevalent among the poorer classes who primarily consumed a diet of maize.

Discovery of Pellagra

Gaspar Casal meticulously documented the symptoms and progression of the disease, which he referred to as "mal de la rosa" due to the red rash that appeared on the skin. His observations were published in his seminal work, "Historia Natural y Médica del Principado de Asturias," in 1762, posthumously.

Casal's work laid the foundation for the later identification of pellagra as a nutritional deficiency disease caused by a lack of niacin (vitamin B3) in the diet. Although the exact cause was not known during Casal's time, his detailed descriptions were crucial for future research.

Legacy

Gaspar Casal's contributions to medicine are significant, as he was among the first to link diet with disease, a concept that was not widely accepted at the time. His work paved the way for further research into nutritional deficiencies and their impact on health.

Also see

• Pellagra
• Niacin
• History of medicine
• Nutritional deficiency

External links

• Biography of Gaspar Casal
• History of Pellagra