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Scurvy Treatment During the Golden Age of Piracy - Page 2

The Cause of Scurvy

Since ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) was not to be discovered for several hundred years, there was little chance that the surgeons at the time of the pirates would be able to understand what caused it. This didn't stop them from advancing theories about the cause, of course.

John Moyle explains his idea on the topic in his book Chirurgius Marinus: Or, the Sea-Chirurgeon,

"Some are apt to impute it [scurvy] to be got by Idleness and Laziness; but let me say this in vindication of the diseases, that I have seen very stirring, active and neat Men lamentably troubled with the Scurvy; which (if stirring would have hindered have omitted no Labour to avoid Censure.

But it is not that; which causes the Scurvy.

Mists and fogs were considered bad for health. But gross Obstructions caused by vitious Diet and sometimes from a too plentiful feeding on Flesh or Fish (although good) is the true Cause. And add to this, a cold and moist Clymate, or place where you are: for the Scurvy is seldom seen among them that live in the Southern Countreys; (as Fevers and Fluxes are) but in these Northern Parts that are cold and generally moist and foggy.

Besides in the Southern Lands (as in Spain and Italy) they eat good store of green Herbs and Fruit, and not such quantity of Flesh or Fish, as we here and in New-found-Land. And they drink good Wine withall, and so are free from the Scurvy.

Now at Sea and in Camps, Men eat Meat for the most part, and have not green Herbs and Roots to eat with it; and likewise drink Beer or Water; and have not the saniferous juice of the Grape to conserve the right Temper of the blood. But for want of it the Blood increaseth, and becomes not only over much in quantity, but thick in quality: Hence some Obstructions, and so for want of it due Circulation, ariseth Putrifaction, and so Scorbutick Symptoms do appear. " (Moyle, p. 179-81)

Woodall authoritatively posits another theory, which calls to that oft-cited enemy of late 17th and early 18th century medicine, humors:

"The Scurvy is a disease of the spleene, whereby it is sometimes wholly stopped, sometimes onely distempered, sometimes appearing with hard seyrros, swellings, beginning and shewing themselves in divers parts of the body, but more particularly on the thighs and legges, causing them to seeme of a leady colour, the sharpnesse of which infectious humor oft offendeth the mouth and gummes of the diseased, and causeth the flesh thereof to rot and stinke." (Woodall, p. 178)

He goes on with some further explanations, which suggest that lack of understanding caused the surgical men of the period to cast a wide net. Curiously, he actually hits pretty close to the truth in his next suggestion of the cause. He also goes after another popular villain for poor health, the climate. 'Bad air' was often thought to cause, trigger or at the least exacerbate illnesses during this period. Note also his comments on sailors in his second explanation.

"The cheefe cause whereof is the continuance of the salt diet, either fish or fresh, as porke and the like, which is not to be avoided at sea, as I suppose by the wit of man, another cause is want of sufficient nourishing food, and of sweete water, and also for want of Aqua vitæ, wine, beere, or other good water to comfort and warme their stomackes, which by contrary windes men are too much incident unto in long voyages howsoever the Marchants are carefull, provident, and bountifull in that point.

An other cause of this disease to the ordinarie sort of poore men, is want of fresh apparel to shift them with, which indeed amongst poore Sailers, especially a sort of them that are carelesse and lazie of disposition is too frequent, partly also by the not keeping their apparel sweete and dry, and the not clensing and keeping their Cabins sweete, this also ingendreth and increaseth the infection.

Hard tack or 'concrete' Some charge Bisket [biscuits, most likely hard tack] as a cause of Scurvie, but I am not of their opinion: Some say inordinate watchings are cause thereof: Some say extreame labour wanting due nourishment: Some also affirme cares and griefe to be some cause thereof, others affirme the very heate of the aire, resolving the spirits and vapors, and ingrossing the thicke humours, causeth the Scurvy; but what shall I amplifie further, for it is also true that they which have all the helps which can be had for mony, and take as much care as men can devise are even by the evill disposition of the aire, and the course of nature, stroke with the Scurvie, yea and die thereof at sea and land both: yet this giveth no warrant to the Surgeon, or his Mate to leave their duties unperformed, for the blouds of those men which either by their willfulnesse or slothfulnesse perish under their charge will surely be required at their hands.

But it is plaine that this griefe is a lasie foule disease with obstructions of the liver, or spleene, or of both; as also it appeareth that the head is much diseased, and that there is great obstructions in the braine, for that the eies not onely looke evill coulored, but also the gummes putrifie, and the teeth grow loose, and all the sinowie parts of the bodie beare their part in the diseases, for the shrinking and withering of the sinowes with the great paines the party hath declareth no lesse." (Woodall, p. 179-80)

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