58 ^ History of a Case of Scurvy. 



the gums were much swelled, and very livid. This 

 symptom, added to the appearance of the limbs, satisfied 

 me, that my patient had the scurvy. I therefore directed 

 her to take four lemons every day, and to eat freely of 

 boiled green vegetables, with animal food, for dinner. 

 She complied strictly with the prescription, and it had the 

 desired effect, most completely ; for, in ten or twelve 

 days, every symptom disappeaied. The improvement 

 in her complexion was so striking, that all the family re- 

 marked it, although they had not been sensible of the 

 increase of the sallow colour. She also continued free 

 from diarrhoea for a long time, notwithstanding this 

 great change in her diet. 



May it not be inferred, that, in the above instance, 

 scurvy occured when there could be no vitiation of the 

 fluids induced by animal food, and also, when there was 

 no reason to suspect a want of nourishment? for she used 

 freely rice, chocolate, and bread with butter. 



Is it not also evident, that the disease could not have 

 proceeded from a deficient oxygenation of the blood, as 

 the patient lived almost in the open air, when the dis- 

 ease appeared? 



Must we not accede to the opinion, that scurvy is 

 owing to a deficiency in diet, of recent vegetable mat- 

 ter*, or perhaps of the juices of vegetables ? This opi- 

 nion seems confirmed bv the fact, that scurvv has been 

 cured by a diet of ra^v potatoes in some persons, who had 



* See the Mcdicina Nautica of Dr. Trotter; and also an inte- 

 resling Essay, by Biichstrom, in Lind's Treatise on Scuryy, p. 40P. 



