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A Thread About Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease caused by a severe lack of Vitamin C. Another name for Vitamin C is Ascorbic Acid. It can be found in citrus fruits, green vegetables, along with some others. Some examples are: lemons, oranges, red & green peppers, broccoli, cantaloupe, baked potatoes, etc.
The symptoms of scurvy can be traced back as early as 1550 BC. However, it is most commonly associated with pirates as fruits/vegetables would not stay fresh on oversea journeys. Pirates combated it by making grog, a mixture of rum and lime juice.
At first, people didn't believe that scurvy was preventable, they only thought it was curable. This was even true for the person who discovered how to cure scurvy, James Lind. He was known as a man who conquered a killer disease. He discovered the cure in 1747.
Scurvy was a common disease in the U.S. Army before the Civil War. As a way to combat it, the Army supplied a mix of vegetables for the soldiers, but it did not work due to the time it took to boil the vegetables.
Since scurvy affects wound healing, it increased mortality rates during the Civil War. In fact, the scurvy rate almost mirrored the death rate. The general public became aware after an outbreak in 1862. Groups formed trying to get potatoes and onions for the troops to combat it.
Moving into symptoms of scurvy, some of the early symptoms can include: loos of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, irritability, and lethargy. Later symptoms can include: anemia, myalgia, swelling, petechiae, shortness of breath, gum disease, loss of teeth, poor wound healing,
mood changes, and depression. Over time people may experience: severe jaundice, destruction of red blood cells, sudden and random bleeding, neuropathy, and fever.
If scurvy is left untreated, it can be fatal. However, scurvy can be treated by: adding fresh fruit & vegetables to your diet, or taking Vitamin C supplements.
Some may not think of scurvy something that is still around but it is. In 2016 there was a case of a baby developing scurvy after the parents gave it only almond milk. Then in 2016, about a dozen diabetes patients in Australia developed scurvy after their vegetables
were overcooked, thus the vitamins were no longer present. Then in 2017, there was a scurvy outbreak at a psychiatric hospital in Zimbabwe after patients weren't given a proper diet. Scurvy is still a threat in third world countries b/c they don't have access to a proper diet.
International Scurvy Awareness Day is on May 2, and was started by Limestrong. There was a website for Limestrong, but it is no longer active, and no, I did not create it.
Now it's time for some random scurvy facts. Scurvy can appear in small animals such as hamsters b/c they cannot produce Vitamin C themselves. This is why food for animals, such as hamsters, has Vitamin C added into it. If not treated, they can d*e within a day.
Another fact about scurvy is that it isn't contagious, so there's that.
There do exist some scurvy mentions in modern culture:
-"The Scurvy Song" by P!nk
-Mentioned in S1 of Gilmore Girls
-Mentioned in an episode of Scorpion
-Questions about scurvy on Jeopardy
-"The Scurvy Song" by P!nk
-Mentioned in S1 of Gilmore Girls
-Mentioned in an episode of Scorpion
-Questions about scurvy on Jeopardy
This thread was brought to you by me, your local scurvy enthusiast. I've known a lot about scurvy since high school, and have just added facts about it as time went on. Most of this information is stuff I retained from all of my reading, and I thought I would share it w/ you all.
I would also like to thank the Jethan/toast cans gc for convincing me to make this thread. I would also like to thank them for being super awesome 
I just realized a history of why I started learning about scurvy would be good, so here
