When reading about a bygone era in a great historical novel, it’s easy to get lost in the romance of the past – until we remember that life was incredibly hard back then!

 

scruvy

 

Here’s another excellent article from Atlas Obscura:

 

(Remember to eat an orange today!)

 

“Identified by Hippocrates and by the Egyptians as early as 1550 BC, Scurvy was originally a relatively rare and mysterious ailment which struck on land during long campaigns and overland journeys when fresh provisions failed.

 

Caused by a lack of Vitamin C in the diet, with the notable exception of humans and the guinea pig, most plant and animal species synthesize vitamin C, and do not require it in the diet. But we do. Which, as it turns out, is a real problem.

 

But let’s begin at the beginning, and meet that strange beast known as…

 

“Land Scurvy:” Curse of the Crusaders!…”

 

The rest, here.

 

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