Scurvy

Scurvy is a disease (sickness). It is caused by not eating enough vitamin C. But scurvy can be prevented. It has many symptoms. People who have scurvy get spots on their skin, especially on their legs. Their teeth may loosen and/or fall out. They may bleed from the mouth, nose, and gums (mucus membranes). A person with scurvy will look pale and feel sad (see depression). They will not be able to move easily, because their joints hurt.

Scurvy can be easily cured. Oranges and other fruits can restore normal vitamin levels. In the past, sailors more commonly got scurvy due to being unable to access these foods. Fresh fruit could not be kept for long. The main cause of scurvy is lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. It is now uncommon.

Signs of scurvy

At first, a person with scurvy may:

1. Not want to eat (loss of appetite)
2. Feel sad (slight depression)
3. Lose weight or not get heavier even though they eat a lot
4. Have loose feces (diarrhea)
5. Breathe fast (tachypnea)
6. Be hot (have a high body temperature or fever)

A bit later a person with scurvy may:

1. Feel angry (irritability)
2. Have pains in the legs (and tenderness)
3. Find it hard to move (pseudo paralysis)
4. Have swelling of the arms and legs
5. Bleed from the mouth, nose and gums

Causes

1. Not eating enough food that has vitamin C
2. Going on a long trip, often at sea, where there is no fresh food
3. Not having enough food (famine)
4. Breaking down the vitamin C by over-cooking (like boiling fruit juice)

Treatment

1. Eating vitamin C pills or giving it by needle (injection, also known as a shot). The injection almost always cures scurvy in babies.
2. Drinking orange juice is another treatment that works in babies. Before vitamin C was discovered this was the only treatment.

When a person gets help for scurvy, they usually get better very quickly. Babies start eating again after one or two days of help. The symptoms get better within seven days.

Food sources

Eating vitamin C prevents scurvy. How much vitamin C a person needs changes with his or her age and is different for pregnant and lactating women. The following is the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council's advice on how much vitamin C to eat every day:

• Infants (babies): 30–40 mg
• Children and adults: 45–60 mg
• Pregnant women: 70 mg
• Mothers breast feeding: 90–95 mg

Foods with a lot of vitamin C include the following:

• Citrus fruits (for example: oranges, limes)
• Berries
• Cantaloupe
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries

Scurvy Media

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  X-ray of the knee joint (arrow indicates scurvy line)

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  James Lind, a pioneer in the field of scurvy prevention

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  Page from the journal of Henry Walsh Mahon showing the effects of scurvy, from his time aboard HM Convict Ship Barrosa (1841/2)

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  A child presenting a "scorbutic tongue" due to vitamin C deficiency

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  A child with scurvy in flexion posture