270 



SCUUF 



SCURVY-GRASS 



scriptural plan of salvation (nee RKSTIARV). Of 

 the lliinl class of sculptured stones, tlie high 

 crones, there are hut few in Scotland, and they 

 are nearly nil characterised hy the pretence of 

 scriptural subjects. There are no data by which 

 the age of tin- .-tour* of the first variety, hearing 

 only the incised svmlioU peculiar to Scotland, 

 can be estimated. But there seems no reason for 

 assigning to them a higher antiquity than that of 

 the in-riiln-.l -ion.-- of the lii-i and second cla-.es, 

 which seldom bi'Ar ornamentation or svinlxiU, 

 except the curly form of the cross. The style of 

 the ornamentation of the second variety, sculptured 

 in relief and arranged in panels, is similar to the 

 decoration of the illuminated Celtic manuscripts 

 of the Gospel* of the period ranging from the Till 

 to the 10th century. The third variety, consist- 

 ing of high crosses with pure Celtic ornamentation, 

 may range from the loth to the I'-'tli century. 

 This form of monument a high cross with local 

 variations and a remarkable development of foliage- 

 ous ornamentation common to the recuml>ent 

 sepulchral slalw of the same district, continued in 

 the West Highlands from the 13th to the 16th 

 century. 



See Stuart. Sculptured Stona of Scotland (gpalding 

 Club, 185-7 ) ; Westwood, Lapidarium Wallice (1870); 

 Stoke*, Chrittian Inirriptiota in Irelaivl (1878); 

 Anderson, Scotland in Early Christian Time* (1881); 

 K'Hiiitly Allen, Enrly Clirittian Si/mltolirm (1887); and 

 Monumental Hiitorii of the Karly Britith Church (1889). 

 Bee also the article CUP-M.VKKINGS. 



Scurf. See PrTYRi ASIS. 



Scurry, or SCORBUTUS, is a disease characterised 

 liy a depraved condition of the Mood. In conse- 

 quence of this morhid state of the blood there 

 is great debility of the system at large, with a 

 t-ndency to congestion, hemorrhage, &c. in various 

 jiarts of the body, and especially in the gums. It 

 lias probably existed from the earliest times, 

 but the first distinct account of it is contained 

 in the history of the crusade of Louis IX. in 

 the 13th century against the Saracens of Egypt, 

 dnrinjj which the French army suffered greatly 

 from it. In the 16lh century it prevailed eudemi- 

 cally in various parts of the nortli of Euro]*, and 

 it seems only to have abated towards the close of 

 the 18th century. It was in badly-fed armies, in 

 licsieged cities, and on hoard ship that its ravages 

 were most appalling, and it is believed that more 

 seamen perished from scurvy alone than from all 

 other causes combined, whether sickness, tempest, 

 or battle. For instance, only l/il'2 sailors and 

 marines wen- Killed in all the naval battles of the 

 Seven Years War ; but 133, 70S died of disease or 

 were missing, and scurvy wax the principal disease. 

 Whole crews were prostrated by this scourge, as 

 in the well-known case of Lord Alison's (q.v.) 



i" orable voyage. It is now met with under 



similar conditions, though cases are comparatively 

 rare (in 1873 only 19 coses were repmti>d to the 

 Board of Trade, in lss| as many as ((9). ami also 

 among the lower classes in large towns, navvies 

 engaged in railway work. &c. , when they confine 

 their dietary to lea, bread, ham, salt-fish, &c., to 

 tin- I'vclu-ioii of fre-li vegetable* and meat. 



The first effect of the disease is generally * 

 decline in the general health, and tlie patient 

 liecomes depressed, i easily fatigued, and hag a 

 )>eculiar snllow complexion. After a variable 

 period the more characteristic symptoms appear, 

 the chief of which arc lurnioi rhagos and Hpongmess 

 of the gums. The haemorrhages closely resemble 

 those of Piirpiira (q.v.), and occur into and under 

 the "kin, when- they nivc iie to red or purple dis- 

 coloration* which change, colour like the marks of 

 bruises j into the muscles and other deeper tissues, 

 where they cause brawny swellings; ami into 



internal organs or cavities. H.-i>morrhage also fre- 

 quently takes place from the mucous membrane* of 

 the nose and alimentary canal. The affection of 

 the gums is still more characteristic, ami is rarely 

 al>sent, except in the very young or very old, who 

 are without teeth. The gums are swollen, dis- 

 coloured, detached from the teeth, and bleed 

 extremely easily, while the breath becomes \eiy 

 fetid. This condition sometimes precedes but 

 often follows tlie occurrence of hu-morrhage in 

 other situations. 



The cause of scurvy is now well known to lie an 

 improper dietary, and particularly on insufficient 

 supply of fresh vegetable food. The disease is 

 never known to have occurred in any one who had 

 eaten freely and habitually of such articles of diet. 

 Even preserved vegetables, if kept in a juicy con- 

 dition, prevent the occurrence ot the disease. In 

 the absence of vegetables abundant fresh meat nnd 

 in a less degree milk arc antiscorbutic. But the 

 most efficient protective if fresh vegetable food is 

 not attainable is lemon or lime juice ; and the 

 constant use of the latter during long voyages 

 undoubtedly prevents the occurrence of srurvy 

 when it would otherwise be inevitable. It is more 

 apt to affect those who are deprived of fresh air 

 and sunlight, are mentally depressed, and have 

 hod their health enfeebled by previous disease. 

 In what way the deprivation of fresh vegetables 

 acts on the blood to produce scurvy is as yet 

 unknown. Dr Garrod's theory, that "the element 

 wanting is a sufficient supply of potash salts, is not 

 generally accepted ; for it has never been proved 

 that potash salts by themselves are sufficient to 

 prevent the disease. 



Although the virtues of lemon-juice in scnrvy 

 were known in England as far back as 1636, when 

 John Woodhall, Master in Surgery, published 

 The Surgeon's Mate, or Military and Domestic 

 Medicine, this invaluable medicine was not made 

 an essential element of nautical diet till 1795, 

 the author of the change being Sir Gilliert 

 Blane (q.v.). The effect of this official act may 

 be estimated from the following numbers, lii 

 1780 the number of cases of scurvy received into 

 Hoslar Hospital (a purely naval hospital) was 

 14f>7, while in 1806, as also'in 1807, there was only 

 one case. Many naval surgeons of the present 

 day have never seen a case of the disease. The 

 potato possesses almost equally great antiscorbutic 

 properties, and fortunately potatoes when cooked 

 are as active as when taken raw. l)r Billy (1814- 

 61 ), to whom we arc indebted for this discovery, 

 states that 'in several prisons the occurrence of 

 scurvy has wholly ceased on the addition of a 

 few pounds of potatoes lieing made to the weekly 

 dietary.' For the cure, as for the prevention of 

 the disease, the diet is by far the most im- 

 portant agent; lime, lemon, or orange juice 

 should be given freely. Sometimes the condition 

 of the mouth prevents the administration of 

 potatoes and other vegetables ; but when possible 

 they should be given freely. Washes of chlorate 

 of potash, tannin, or Condy's fluid should housed 

 for the gums ; if they are severely affected solid 

 nitrate of silver may be applied' to them with 

 advantage. 



Srnrvy-jrrnss (furfitnirin), a genus of plants 

 of the natural order Crncifeiw, having small white 

 flowers ami many-Heeded pouches. They are annual 

 or biennial, rarely perennial plants; of humble 

 growth, with branched smooth stems, smooth 

 simple leaves, and terminal racemes of flowers. 

 They have an acrid, biting taste, containing the 

 same pungent volatile oil which is found in horse- 

 radish, and are valued for their antiscorbutic 

 properties. Common Scurvy-gross ( C. officinalit) 

 is sometimes a foot high ; the root-leaves are 



