International Scurvy Awareness Day
May 2 · Level 2 · #1940 of 2238
Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C, and this day reminds us that the disease is not just a tale from old sailing ships. It is also a nudge to value a simple, varied diet.
How it is celebrated: people swap facts about vitamin C, put citrus fruit, kiwi and sweet peppers on the menu, and tell the odd pirate joke. Health educators use the date to explain who can still run short of the vitamin.
In 1747 the Scottish naval surgeon James Lind ran one of the earliest clinical trials aboard a British ship, and the sailors given oranges and lemons recovered fastest.