SCURVY. 491 



material by the deficiency of which his disorder has been produced. Fruits and 

 salads should be eaten ad libitum, and fresh lemon-juice, made into lemonade, should 

 be taken in large quantities. The existence of diarrhrea or any other complication 

 should form no excuse for withholding this treatment. No drug will do any good 

 until the patient has vegetables or some anti-scorbutic remedy, and \vhm this is 

 administered an amelioration in even the most serious symptoms will soon be per- 

 ceived. Lemon-juice is probably more easily digested than any other form of 

 vegetable food, but oranges, limes, cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, onions, mustard and 

 cress, dandelion, sorrel, or grapes, will answer almost as well. It is said that water- 

 cresses prove quite as efficacious as lemon-juice in curing scurvy. Bael fruit has 

 been highly recommended for the looseness of the bowels, which often accomj'. 

 this complaint. In addition to the administration of anti-scorbutic remedies, tin- 

 patient's strength must be improved by such a diet as will most easily contribute to 

 his nutrition. He may have beef-tea and eggs beaten up with wine, or, if he can 

 bear it, solid fresh meat, roasted or boiled, with mashed potatoes, cabbage or salad. 



There are certain fruits and vegetables in addition to those we have alr< 

 mentioned which have the power of warding off scurvy and promoting its cure. 



Amongst these may be mentioned apples, which often prove useful, but are 

 far inferior to either oranges or lemons. Sauer-kraut has long been recognised 

 as being very efficacious in this respect. It was by providing his crew with 

 abundance of sauer-kraut, and encouraging them to seek for wild vegetable 

 whenever he landed, that Captain Cook preserved their health during a four 

 years' voyage in his ship Discovery. In the last American war the yam, 

 which is extensively cultivated throughout the South, was found very beneficial. 

 It is supposed from the immunity of infants from scurvy that milk po.v- 

 the power of preventing this disease to a large extent. A similar property is 

 also attributed to many of the light French wines. Vinegar has undoubtedly 

 well-marked anti-scorbutic powers. It is said that the efficacy of fruits in the 

 treatment of scurvy is owing to the tartrate of potash, citrate of potash, and 

 malate of potash which they contain, and these salts are consequently often 

 administered, and apparently with advantage, when fresh vegetables cannot be 

 obtained. 



Spruce beer is an excellent thing for warding off scurvy. The essence of 

 spruce is prepared by boiling down to concentration the young branches of the 

 black spruce fir (Abies nigra). Take of this essence half a pint, bruised pimento 

 and ginger of each four ounces, water three gallons. Boil for five or ten 

 minutes, then strain, and add eleven gallons of warm water, a pint of yeast, 

 and six pints of molasses. Mix, and allow the mixture to ferment for twenty- 

 four hours. This was found very efficacious by Captain Cook in his voyages. 

 It is an agreeable and wholesome drink in warm weather, and it has been 

 suggested that it should be used in the merchant service instead of rum, which 

 has no power of preventing scurvy. We are afraid the men would fail to 

 appreciate the change. 



A list of measures to be adopted in time of war, or in prolonged sojourn 

 on board ship, or at stations where fresh vegetables are scarce, was drawn up 



