Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract

Scurvy – the dreaded ailment of vitamin C deficiency – was once so rampant and mysterious that it inspired supernatural and moral interpretations. In the Age of Sail and early colonial era, sailors and settlers who witnessed its horrifying symptoms often regarded scurvy as a curse or punishment from God for their sins. This article traces how perceptions of scurvy evolved from these early superstitions to a scientific understanding of its true cause. We review historical narratives of maritime expeditions decimated by scurvy and the spiritual explanations invoked, then follow the gradual shift to empirical investigation. Key figures in this progression include naval surgeon James Lind, whose mid-18th-century citrus experiments provided the first solid evidence of a dietary cure nps.gov, and Nobel Laureate Albert Szent-Györgyi, who in the 1930s identified vitamin C (ascorbic acid) as the anti-scurvy factor nps.govnps.gov. Drawing on primary accounts from voyages and colonies, we illustrate how scurvy’s story exemplifies the broader tension in medical history between mystical explanations and evidence-based science, ultimately culminating in one of the earliest triumphs of nutritional medicine.

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