SCURVY (Scorbutus), a "deficiency" disease, characterized by debility, blood changes, spongy gums and haemorrhages in the tissues of the body. In former times this disease was common and very fatal among sailors. Scurvy has also frequently broken out among soldiers on campaign, in beleaguered cities, among com munities in times of scarcity, and in prisons, workhouses and other public institutions. It was early recognized that scurvy and diet were connected. It is now known that the cause is deficiency of vitamin C in the food (see VITAMINS). This explains the occur rence of scurvy when fresh vegetables or fruit are unobtainable and its disappearance when they are administered, for these substances are rich in vitamin C.
The symptoms come on gradually with failure of strength, most manifest on making effort, and a corresponding mental de pression. Then follow sallow complexion, sunken eyes, tender gums and muscular pains. This may continue for weeks, gradu ally getting worse, teeth fall out and haemorrhages, often of large size, penetrate muscles and other tissues. Peculiar disorders of vision have been noticed, particularly night-blindness (nycta lopia), but they are not invariably present, nor specially charac teristic of the disease. The further progress of the malady is marked by profound exhaustion, with a tendency to syncope and various complications, such as diarrhoea and pulmonary or kid ney troubles, any of which may bring about death. On the other hand, even in desperate cases, recovery may be hopefully anti cipated when the deficient vitamin is supplied. No disease is
more amenable to treatment both as regards prevention and cure than scurvy, the single remedy of fresh vegetables or some equiv alent securing both these ends. Potatoes, cabbages, onions, car rots, turnips, etc., and most fresh fruits, will be found of the greatest service for this purpose. Lime juice and lemon juice are recognized as equally efficacious. The regulated administration of lime juice in the British navy, which was begun in 1795, had the effect of virtually extinguishing scurvy in the service, while simi lar regulations introduced by the British Board of Trade in 1865 had a like beneficial result as regards the mercantile marine. It is only when these regulations have not been fully carried out, or when the supply of lime juice has become exhausted, that scurvy among sailors has been noticed in recent times.
Infantile Scurvy (Scurvy Rickets, Barlow's disease), a disease of childhood due to a morbid condition of the blood and tissues from defects of diet, was first observed in England in 1876 by Sir T. Smith, and later fully investigated by Sir Thomas Barlow. The chief symptoms are great and progressive anaemia, mental apathy, spongy gums, haemorrhages into various structures, par ticularly under the periosteum and muscles, with suggestive thick enings round the shafts of the long bones, producing a state of pseudo-paralysis.