Dr. Tom Douglas Spies. (Sept. 21, 1902 - Feb. 28, 1960) A native of the Fannin County community of Ravenna, Dr. T. D. Spies was an eminent authority in the study of nutritional diseases. In the 1930s, he led in the discovery of a cure for pellagra, a disorder caused by inadequate diet that once afflicted thousands in the South. He received many honors, including the American Medical Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1957 and citations from Cuba and Puerto Rico for his work in tropical medicine. #8935