Fun Fact #363 Lind's Lemons

 Current Fun Fact #363

Lind’s Lemons

When James Lind was alive, the world lived in fear of Scurvy –a condition brought on by a lack of Vitamin C in which the body’s connective tissue breaks down. One notable incident was Commodore Anson’s Fleet where only 188 people returned out of the 1,900 sailors and an unknown number of civilians and marines who set out initially. While all of Europe was horrified, Lind began to investigate solutions.

Many theoretical treatments existed at the time involving drinking various fluids to ‘Ginger up’ . Thus, Lind decided to set up one of the first clinical trials in history and tried them all on Suffolk’s 26-week voyage to India. Only two groups showed any abnormal effects with those eating lemons getting strong and ready for service after only 3 days, while the people drinking Hydrochloric acid died quicker resulting in “less complaints about taste”. Lind’s study would revolutionize Naval nutrition. While no one knew at the time why limes helped, The British Navy began issuing a shot of lime juice and rum to sailors before bed. This "Daily Tot" ended the scourge of scurvy and earned British sailors the nickname of “Limeys”.