98 



FOOD NUTRIENTS 



Atlantic Oceans. Such a conquest of the ancient scourge was un- 

 known up to that time. Captain Cook attributed his success to the 

 liberal use of such fresh fruits and vegetables as could be obtained, 

 and to the frequent use of sauerkraut and barley. Partly on 

 account of this experience and partly because of similar observa- 

 tions and controlled experiments, regulations for the British navy 

 have required, since 1795, that all ships' crews be supplied with 

 fruit juices (usually limes) and vegetables which were thought to 

 prevent scurvy. (Because English sailors eat limes for the vita- 

 min in lime juice they are often called " limeys.") Not only armies 

 and navies, but exploring expeditions, camps of lumbermen, and 

 other isolated communities of persons have suffered from scurvy. 

 Although this disease had indicated, during all centuries of re- 

 corded history, that some peculiar food substance was required, 

 recognition of the vitamin-character of the substance which 

 prevents scurvy came only in recent years (1919-1920). 



A similar story 



is 



found in the history 

 of the peculiar dis- 

 ease called beriberi. 

 This has also been 

 one of the ancient 

 scourges of certain 

 races. Definite rec- 

 ords, dating back to 

 an extremely remote 

 period, appear in 

 Chinese writings, 

 telling of the rav- 

 ages of beriberi. 



Beriberi is characterized by inflammatory changes in the nerves 

 and it usually involves distortion and even paralysis of the limbs. 

 Like scurvy, this disease may prove fatal if it is not counteracted 



The diets of these two rats of the same age were alike in 

 every respect except in the kind of fat. The rat on the right 

 received butter which contains vitamin A; the rat on the left 

 received lard which lacks vitamin A. The stunted rat devel- 

 oped an eye disease. 



