I never saw this word before, and have not seen "sprue" for over thirty years.Another
crazy spelling bee word. I thought it might be related to psilocybin.
From xRefer
sprue (psilosis) n.


deficient absorption of food due to disease of the small intestine. Tropical sprue is seen in
people from temperate regions who stay in tropical climates for weeks or months. It is
characterized by diarrhoea (usually steatorrhoea), an inflamed tongue (glossitis), anaemia, and
weight loss; the lining of the small intestine is inflamed and atrophied, probably because of
infection. Treatment with antibiotics and folic acid is usually effective, but the condition
often improves spontaneously on return to a temperate climate. See also coeliac disease
(nontropical sprue), malabsorption.