![]() All the evacuations from the body become intolerably fetid.At first the ulcers resemble black blisters which spread and discharge a dark colored matter.The same appearances follow, on other depending parts of the body.About the same time the legs swell, are glossy, and soon exhibit foul ulcers."The gums become soft, livid and swollen, are apt to bleed from the slightest cause, and separate from the teeth, leaving them loose.In his 1820 textbook on nautical medicine, Navy surgeon Usher Parsons unflinchingly described the signs: ![]() The symptoms of scurvy are dramatic and terrible. ![]() Before modern refrigeration, sailors on long voyages relied mostly on salted or nonperishable food and had no regular access to fresh green vegetables or fruits that contain the vitamin. The body does not naturally make vitamin C, so it has to come from foods rich in the vitamin such as citrus or from dietary supplements. Scurvy is a dietary deficiency caused by a lack of vitamin C. An estimated 2 million sailors died of the disease between the 16th and 18th centuries alone, often decimating entire ship crews. Scurvy was the scourge of sailors for thousands of years. Health Readiness & Combat Support | Nutritional Fitness | Our History
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