SCURVY 61 



somewhat more of their antiscorbutic properties, 

 and orange juice dried at a lower temperature 

 still more.^ Dried vegetables, therefore, although 

 they possess a food value corresponding to the 

 amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat con- 

 tained in them, cannot be regarded as a substitute 

 for fresh vegetables as regards their antiscorbutic 

 potency. 



The effect of cooking on the antiscorbutic 

 accessory is also seriously to diminish its amount. 

 According to Delf cabbage loses 70 per cent of its 

 antiscorbutic efficiency in twenty minutes at the 

 temperature of boiling water. It should be noted, 

 however, that even after this treatment it is more 

 efficacious by far than meat juice or milk. Of 

 special importance is the effect of prolonged cook- 

 ing, such as is practised on the large scale in camps 

 and institutions as well as in the popular hay box. 

 The effect of lowering the temperature 10° C. (18°F.) 

 is only to diminish the rate of destruction by about 

 30 per cent, so that after being kept for 40-50 

 minutes at about 80-90° C. (temperature of simmer- 

 ing), the same loss would have occurred as would 

 have taken place in twenty minutes at 100°. In 

 practice vegetables are often]" simmered" for several 

 hours and hence lose much more of their anti- 

 scorbutic potency than when boiled for a short 

 time. In order, therefore, to preserve as much as 



1 Harden and Robison, J.B.A.M.C, 1919, 32, 48. 



