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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Scurvy
Just finished this audio book. Very interesting account (although the author really jumped around a lot and I would have enjoyed it more had he written a more chronological account) of scurvy, which is a physical malady caused by a deficiency of ascorbic acid (vitamin c) that plagued mariners at sea for extended periods of time. Very interesting account of the 10 year window in which the British navy had no effective "cure" or preventive for scurvy - to the point where it was practically abolished altogether - and how the lack of that cure affected the outcome of the American Revolution compared to the affect the cure/preventive had on Britain's blockade of French/Spanish ships allowing England to eventually defeat Napoleon.
Interesting accounts of voyages of James Cook on the Endeavor and later on the Resolution and Adventure.
Found this review when searching for a picture of the book.
10/11/2006 02:39:00 PM by Todd Bacon
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