The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-07
Lime Juice Preventing scurvy.

Although Capt. Mares, the commander
OF the late British Arctic expedition, has been
knighted, ana banquet has Just bee given Ia his
honor In London, his conduct In not furnishing
the spring slsdge parties with ratious OF lime
Juice has been severely commented upon. The
somewhat angry discussion between the SAM
tdry Record on the one side, and Clements X
Markham on the other, in defence OF the Cap
tain. has been set at rest by the admission OF
Capt. Mares that most OF the Oh irges m adj
against him are true, and that he did not PRO
vide the siedees with hme Juice. The sledee
parties travelled several hundred miles from the
ship, In the advance and return, their journey
occupying many days. 7 he men were attacked
with scurvy OF which two died. and their com.
rades were Obliged to drag the disabled along on
the sledges II Is claimed that the scurvy would
not have broken out had the men been given the
regular navy ration OF lime Juice half an ounce
ter diem and the only excuses advanced by
Capt Mares for his neglect are that its carriage
would have entacd an extra weight to be
dragged and that melting the frozen lime
juice would have consumed great zeal Of time
How frivolous this defence Is was shown by his
admission at the Mansion House dinner, the
other night. that "of course, hereafter. lime
juice, IN some shape or other. must no carried In
all slsdCing Journeys" Some Of his friends as
seft that lime juice ~ not sure preventive Of
sourvr, and they cite cases where it, use mas not
teen attended with complete success. In this
category, also. II my he mentioned that the
Bfitish Consul nj Cill q II ties that the two YES
selS coming 10 that port during the last year In
winch scufvy mad hroke1 out, were both well
provided With lime juice, but they hid neen an
unusually long time al sea. In I the lIteexne
ditiOn had to endure more severe cold and mere
prolonged darkness than any previous expedi-
ton IN urged n h wing tended to produce
scufvy; but this excuse does not avtil Capt
Mares much, for,wtth knowledge OF the greater
risk they ran, he should not have neglected
PLAN prcCautiOn.
The great question a. To the efficacy OF lime
lui re hs an amt scOrhutc remains undetermined,
although the weight OF evidence i In it, favor,
ana tue report on that point OF Sir Alexander
Of the Brush navy, Is awaited with interest. sir
AlrNhnder was the surgeon Of he shtD Inyesii.
gator "a tn Polar ex ion Of 1850, aud In his
Official report he attributed the fact that no one
on ms vessel was attacked with scurvy until
t"entv-sryen months sf,er she sal ed o. every
man having been compelled To drink one ounce
OF lime juice diiiy. II thus must Ice antiripated
that ms decision now Will he In favor of what
ne IOunl 50 eHlchciOu, 50 MANY years ago, I'M
less ne u excellent ref sIns tor mOdifyipg his
former view. IL SHOULD he remembered Tn II
hlthough Otatoes, or inberries and yetches. h va
strong nnti-scoi butte prOl erties, lime luce il
beiltNed To posse-s great advantages over every
"ther remedy, MT the least being the small err
COMPASS u req ard tho fact that II can
stand any eXtreme OF heat or cold without sus.
Iainng injury.