CAPE SUMNER TO DRAGON POINT 



journey. Very soon after the expedition left land, they had 

 to leave the first boat behind. 



Daily these men fought a terrible fight against both the 

 cold and the natural obstacles in their path, and it was not long 

 before they began to suffer from frost-bite. They faced this 

 misfortune bravely. But when the dreaded scurvy * made its 

 appearance, the expedition was on the point of breaking down 

 altogether. On the 19th of April it became evident that three 

 of the men had contracted this dreaded and terrible complaint. 

 On the 24th, N. Eat. 83° was passed, and then no less than 

 five men were ill and unable to do any work. On the 7th of 

 May the position was already such that three men had to ride 

 with the baggage, while two of the patients were yet able to 

 manage for themselves, although they were hardly able to 

 walk. On the 10th of May it was obvious to Markham that it 

 was hopeless to continue, and, while the patients were given 

 two days' rest, he himself and the strongest of the men set out 

 on an excursion to N. Lat. 83° 20', the farthest north ever 

 reached — a record which was destined to remain unbeaten for 

 many years. 



On the commencement of the return journey five men had 

 to drive, whilst a further five were only enabled to keep up 

 with their comrades because the drivers must cover the dis- 

 tance three times in succession to bring up all the baggage. 



* J. Lindhardt, M.D., Professor at the University of Copenhagen, 

 and member of the Danish Expedition of 1906-08, has kindly supplied 

 me with the following information: "Scurvy (scorbut) is an illness due 

 to an improper dietary, the cause of which is now attributed to the lack 

 of vitamines in the food. These vitamines are to be found in fresh meat, 

 and, more especially, in vegetables, but they are destroyed by unsuitable 

 preservation. Thus they are not to be found in the salt meat which 

 previously constituted the chief food of Arctic expeditions. The illness 

 manifests itself by tiredness and weakness, often accompanied by pains 

 similar to rheumatism, haemorrhage under the skin, sores on the legs, 

 often also on internal organs, and a peculiar affection of the mouth with 

 swollen, tender, and delicate gums which give rise to haemorrhage and 

 wounds and, occasionally, a loosening of the teeth. The treatment of 

 the illness is hygienic-dietetic (fresh vegetables). In severe cases death 

 follows general exhaustion or is caused by complications, especially 

 affections of the lungs." 



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