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Scurvy is another vitamin deficiency with worldwide prevalence as well as a colorful history. This condition is caused by a deficiency of ascorbic acid, also called vitamin C. It was a common cause of mortality in sailors during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. James Lind, a British naval surgeon, developed a simple cure in 1747 by giving the sailors two oranges and one lemon every day. Their swollen gums, weakness, and bleeding tendencies responded dramatically, giving rise to the nickname, “Limeys.” American and Canadian sailors on long voyages knew they could eat cranberries to protect themselves from scurvy -- making them a cranberry counterpart to British 'limeys.'Tarragon leaves are rich in iodine, mineral salts and vitamins A and C. In the past tarragon was used to prevent scurvy.Extremely high supplements of ascorbic acid are seldom necessary.In more recent times scurvy appears more commonly in alcoholics, food faddists, and the impoverished elderly living on a grossly unbalanced diet.

The principal manifestations of scurvy are hemorrhages in the skin,swollen and bleeding gums, aching muscles, fatigue, and emotional changes.These symptoms appear after two months of depletion. Appearing occasionally in children, scurvy produces tenderness and swelling in the legs.Extreme pain may be present. Finally, after the teeth erupt, swollen gums and bleeding develops. Skeletal changes show signs of growth retardation. In some cases of a vitamin-D deficiency syndrome, rickets, may co-exist.

A carefully taken feeding history is helpful for the diagnosis of infantile scurvy. After 46 months of age any infant fed solely with the bottle, using only boiled cow’s milk or a milk substitute, may develop this disease. Fresh orange juice or another dietary source of vitamin C is rapidly curative.Extremely high supplements of ascorbic acid are seldom necessary. They may produce an abnormal dependency, based on the development of increased excretion originating in the kidneys to compensate for this superabundance.Large doses of vitamin C can also inactivate vitamin B12. That, at times, unfavorably affects reproduction.