Definition of scurvy: A disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C characterized by swollen bleeding gums and the opening of previously healed wounds, which particularly affected poorly nourished sailors until the end of the 18th century.

Scurvy Symptoms

If a sailor is suffering from scurvy the symptoms will start after 60-90 days of a vitamin C deficient diet. Firstly the sailor will begin to feel lazy and fatigued, muscles will ache, especially in the legs and abdomen, joints will ache too and wounds will not heal.  Next, the gums will begin to swell, bleed and become hot.  As the disease progresses the gums will start to smell, teeth will loosen and fall out.  Other symptoms towards the end stages of the disease include fever, the flesh becoming gangrenous with ulcers prevalent on the feet and legs as well as spontaneous haemorrhaging.  Death usually occurs from haemorrhaging in the brain and heart brought on by activity.  Even in the latter part of the disease if vitamin C is given a full recovery can be made.

Scurvy Timeline

Thankfully now a disease of the past, we think of scurvy as affecting sailors but it has been afflicting people throughout human history.  Almost all species of animals can convert glucose into ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Humans, some primates, bats and guinea pigs cannot.  They lack a certain enzyme for this conversion and so have to obtain vitamin C from food sources. Scurvy most likely started to occur in humans when they started to farm and adopted an agrarian lifestyle.  Grain could be stored for consumption during the colder winter months.  This meant people could move to more temperate regions that were previously uninhabitable due to the lack of a good winter food supply.  Grains would form the greater part of their diet throughout the winter months and grains that are stored are low in vitamin C,  thus they would become deficient in Vitamin C.  The first known written description of the disease most likely to be scurvy comes from the Ebers papyrus (1500 BC Egypt).  The Ebers papyrus diagnosed the disease and also prescribe onions, a common source of vitamin C, as a treatment.

Scurvy in the Age of Sail

Scurvy became more common amongst sailors in the 16th century along with the advances in naval technologies.  Ships could be put to sea for longer periods of time and together with the desire to explore and discover new lands, scurvy started to become more prevalent on longer voyages.  Fresh fruits and vegetables could not be carried for long onboard ships before they started to rot.  As the voyage progressed and fresh food became more scarce, the incidence of scurvy would rise.  The curative power of citrus fruits was known in the 15th century. The Portuguese had even planted fruit trees and vegetables on Saint Helena, a popular port for ships returning from the East.  Due to a lack of communication between travellers and the inability to store fresh food, this knowledge was not passed on and a great many lives were being lost to this easily preventable disease.

Dr James Lind

It was not until 1739 that Dr James Lind, a Scottish doctor and surgeon in the Royal Navy, decided to carry out experiments to find a remedy for scurvy.  Lind took twelve sailors all with scurvy and divided them into six pairs.  He gave each pair an addition to their basic rations.  Some were given saltwater, others cider, and some vinegar.  One pair was given citrus fruits and it was these sailors that made a remarkable recovery.  Lind had established that citrus fruits were indeed the remedy that should be used to cure scurvy.  It took another 40 years before the admiralty issued an order for all ships to carry lemon/lime juice.  The incidence of scurvy then dropped to virtually none.

Food Containing Vitamin C

We now know that many fruit and vegetables contain vitamin C.  A medium orange will contain an average of 69.7 mg of vitamin C. According to the NHS, an adult needs 40mg of Vitamin C per day.  In America, they recommend 75-90mg per day.  Here are just a few fruits and vegetables that contain more vitamin C than an orange:

Chilli Peppers – Half a cup contains 107mg

Sweet Peppers – A cup of red pepper 190mg

Kale – One cup 80mg

Strawberries – One cup 84mg

Cauliflower – One small head 127mg

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