Abstract
(1) That the normal diet of the natives of this area is so
poor in Anti-scorbutic elements that they live in a state
of mild latent scurvy. This tends to make them less
physically and mentally fit than they would otherwise be.
It also lessens their resistance to other diseases Tuberculosis,
Enteric Fever etc.
(2) Drought deprives them of practically all the Antiscorbutic
factor that exists in that diet, viz: - milk and
green food -stuffs.
(3) The greatest sufferers are (1) the adult men, who, most
of them, are at work in labour centres and (2) the newly
weaned children (1 - 3 yrs) who undergo a sudden change from
a mildly Anti - scorbutic diet (breast milk) to an absolutely
scorbutic one.
(4) The deaths that occurred were all among children and
all save one in the class 1 - 3 yrs. Heart failure was the
ultimate cause of death in every case.
(5) There was a conspicuous absence of cases amongst
adolescents; no cases at all occurring between the ages of
14 and 18, and only 2 between 12 and 20 years.
(6) Physical exertion precipitates the symptoms. A man may
be apparently well and pains and swelling come on as soon
as he starts heavy work.
(7) Some points that I have not found mentioned in textbooks
are as follows: -
(a) In untreated cases among adults and older children
fibrosis of the muscles and around joints takes
place after haemorrhages by the natural process of
healing. This causes crippling.
(b) In parturient women scurvy tends to cause prolongation
of labour and postpartum haemorrhage.
(c) In small children with marked oedema the destruction
of large areas of epidermis (in some as large as
the palm of the hand) is common, raw septic surfaces
being produced.
(d) In small male children the extreme oedema of the
external genitals is of fairly frequent occurrence.
The prepuce is so swollen that difficulty of
micturition results and even absolute retention in
some cases.
(8) That lemon juice half ari ounce three times a day will
cure any adult case in the course of 2 to 4 weeks. But the
larger the amount of lemon juice given the more rapid the cure.
(9) Hot fomentations applied to the haemorrhagic swellings
in adult cases and rubbing with Ung. Pot. Iod. after the
swelling has gone down, prevents fibrosis and the resultant
crippling.