Scurvy

Scurvy refers to serious illness caused by reduced absorbtion of Vitamin C in the gut and affects energy metabolism. Early signs are fatigue, limb pain and sore skin.

Overview

Despite being considered a rare condition, scurvy still exists nowadays, even in children with no apparent risk factors living in wealthy families. The increasing popularity of dietary restriction for children, especially those with allergies, may potentially enhance the occurrence of scurvy in apparently healthy children.

Symptoms

Cited from page 14: "Every person who has been a sea voyage, must have perceived that longing desire for fresh vegetables after being for some time deprived of them. This I have often marked the harbinger of scurvy. Dr Lind, in some part of his work, has mentioned the same circumstances; and he might very justly have put it down as a symptom; for it is more or less an attendant on the disease and not only amuses their waking hours with thoughts of green fields and rivers of pure water but in dreams they are tantalized with the same ideas, and on waking nothing is so mortifying as the disappointment.

When I heard a sailor expressing these desires, and lolling about, I was not surpriced to find him complain of sore gums and a few days after. About this time the colour of the face looks fallow, the eye is dull and heavy, and the whole countenance as it were bloated; the patient feels himself wearied even after sleep, and complains of pains in different parts of the body; he grows inactive, and easily fatigues; often timid; has gloomy ideas about his safety, as if hypochondrical;he flies from duty and wishes to indulge in sloth. To these generally succeed the apperance of the gums which so especially characherizes scurvy; they swell, are spongy and bleed on the slightest cause. The breath is fetid, and often attended with some disagreeable taste of the mouth."

Cited from page 16: “It is not uncommon for sailors, afflicted with scurvy, to walk upon deck, and drop down irrecoverably ; though to all appearance, when below, there seemed no danger; From this I must infer no just prognosis can be always formed”.

See also

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin C Deficiency without Scurvy hypothesis
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Osteoporosis