10 Interesting Scurvy Facts

Scurvy Facts inform the readers with the disease causing the deficiency of vitamin C in the body. This vitamin actually is very important for human being for it involves in the process for making collagen in the body. The symptoms of scurvy can be seen from the presence of spongy gums, spots on the skin, lethargy, malaise and mucous membrane bleeding. Here are some interesting facts about scurvy:

Scurvy Facts 1: the spots

The people with scurvy can find out that most spots are located on the legs and thighs. The skin looks pale. The patients are often immobilized and depressed.

Scurvy Facts 2: the severe symptoms

The deficiency of vitamin C for the patients with scurvy can lead into the loss of teeth, fever, open wounds, and neuropathy when the ailment advances. It can eventually make the patient die due to the hemorrhage. At that time, the patient has weak blood vessels.

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Scurvy Facts 3: the most common patients with scurvy

The people with scurvy were often seen on the pirates, sailors and those who were on board. It is due to the fact that they could not eat the perishable vegetables and fruits. They often ate the salted meat and dried grains.

Scurvy Facts 4: the long distance voyage

The long distance voyage made a lot of passengers and crew getting killed on the sea. In the past, scurvy was always associated with marine life. Get facts about scoliosis here.

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Scurvy Facts 5: the nutritional deficiency

The nutritional deficiency is always linked with the cause of scurvy on human being. The scientists try harder to find out the right treatment and cure for this ailment.

Scurvy Facts 6: the citrus food

Since scurvy is caused by the deficiency of vitamin C, the usage of citrus fruit to cure and treat the disease is maintained not only in the antiquity but also in the modern day. However, the people found that it was an inconsistent treatment in 1930s.

Scurvy Teeth

Scurvy Facts 7: James Lind

James Lind was the Scottish surgeon who proposed the idea to cure scurvy using the citrus fruit. The surgeon in royal navy had his experiment of citrus fruit and scurvy explained in his book a Treatise of the Scurvy published in 1753.

Scurvy Facts 8: Barlow’s disease

Barlow’s disease is named after the British physician, Sir Thomas Barlow. He was the first person who explained and described scurvy in infant in 1883. This disease can be referred to mitral valve prolapse.

Scurvy Image

Scurvy Facts 9: scurvy and animal

It is very surprising to know that scurvy is not experienced by animals. It is due to the fact that animals are able to synthesize vitamin C. Find out bacteria which affect Human being’s health in Salmonella facts.

Scurvy Facts 10: diet

The living beings that have to obtain vitamin C from their diet include human being, some species of birds, bats and guinea pigs.

Scurvy Facts

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