by M. Igoe
Long periods at sea in the 17th and 18th centuries meant poor diet for sailors of all nations. In particular, Vitamins C and D leached out of the food provided.
At the time, vatamins' existence was unknown. Lack of these could easily result in scurvy, a severe wasting disease, which could easily be fatal.
Quite how it was discovered, or when, that lemons, limes and other citrus fruits could fend off scurvy is unclear.
Credit usually goes to Captain Cook, who led the first expedition to Australia. he seems to have noticed that sailors sucking on these fruits sickened far slower than others. He made daily eating of limes compulsory for all his crew, and scurvy almost vanished.
The compulsory habit of eating limes or lemons was noticed by other countries' sailors. It was the American fleet that humourously referred to British sailors as "Limies;" and later for the UK population as a whole.
It seems likely that the United States fleet adopted the same practice not long after, after noticing the obvious effects.
January 22, 2006
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Ralph Vaughan-Williams
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