Scurvy: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:37, 2 May 2006

Revision as of 04:15, 3 May 2006

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Scurvy was probably first observed as a disease by [[Hippocrates]]. In the [[13th century]] the [[Crusades|Crusaders]] suffered from scurvy frequently, and it has inflicted terrible losses on both besieged and besieger in times of war. Scurvy was one of the limiting factors of marine travel, often killing large numbers of the passengers and crew on long-distance voyages. It even played a significant role in [[World War I]].

The British civilian medical profession of 1614 knew that it was the acidic principal of citrus fruit which was lacking, although they considered any acid as acceptableacceptnnnnable when Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) was unavailable. In 1614 [[John Woodall]] (Surgeon General of the [[British East India Company|East India Company]]) published his book "The Surgion's Mate" as a handbook for apprentice surgeons aboard the company's ships. In it he described scurvy as resulting from a dietary deficiency. His recommendation for its cure was

fresh food or, if not available, oranges, lemons, limes and tamarinds, or as a last resort, Oil of Vitriol. ([[Sulphuric Acid]])

However, it was not until [[1747]] that the treatment and prevention of scurvy by supplementation of the diet with citrus fruit such as [[lemon]]s and [[Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)|lime]]s was introduced into the British Navy by [[James Lind]].

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The plant known as "[[scurvy grass]]" acquired its name from the observation that it cured scurvy, but this was of no great help to those who spent months at sea. During sea voyages, it was discovered that [[sauerkraut]] was of use in preventing scurvy. In the [[Royal Navy]]'s [[Arctic]] expeditions in the [[19th century]], for example, it was widely believed that scurvy was prevented by good hygiene on board ship, regular exercise, and maintaining the morale of the crew, rather than by a diet of fresh food, so that Navy expeditions continued to be plagued by scurvy even while fresh meat was well-known as a practical [[antiscorbutic]] among civilian whalers and explorers in the [[Arctic]]. At the time [[Robert Falcon Scott]] made his two expeditions to the [[Antarctic]] in the early [[20th century]], the prevailing medical theory was that scurvy was caused by "tainted" canned food. It was not until [[1932]] that the connection between [[vitamin C]] and scurvy was established.

The use of limes by the Royal Navy to prevent scurvy gave rise to then uygf d tdy yyt ty fyy rthe name "limey" for a British sailor which has been since extended to all British in American [[slang]].

== Modern incidence ==