WHAT KILLED CAPT. SCOTT?
DIET THAT BACKED VITAMIN C
LONDON, April 21
All who are interested in the
romance and exploration of tile Antarctic continent, which contains millions of square miles that have never been trodden by man, should buy oi borrower Mr J. Gordon Hayes’s “ Antarctica.” It is a veritable cyclopaedia of information about that grim, mysterious land and the seas .that encompass it. Oiio chapter discusses the causes of recerit Antarctic fatalities, and in particular the death of Captain Scott s Polar party;
“ The main cause of the disaster was unsuitable transport. Hand-sledging bad never been used for long journeys at high levels until Sbrtekleton’s discovery of the Polar Plateau. . . . The sheer foot-tons of energy required to haul sledge-loads to a height of 10,000 ft. is prodigious.”
This excessive exertion wns; aggravated by a defect in diet, which medical science had not discovered in 1910. According to a great medical authority, the ration was deficient both in quantity and in quality:
“ Its rough calorie value was about 4,800, which docs not give much margin. Riibner estimates that for hard labour 5,213 calories are necessary daily. . . . A study of the dietary of two American college football teams showed that one was taking 5,740 and the other 7,885 calories.” NO GUARD AGAINST SCURVY.
Further, the ration “ contained no protection against scurvy (vitamin C) and very little vitamin B.” Wlint happened was that the party were first attacked with scurvy,, and then slowly lost strength from -insufficient food, until they perished. This was the conclusion of Sir Ernest Shackle ton at the time ; indeed, he gave precisely this verdict to the reviewer. Scott obtained the best available advice at the time, so that the tragic error was not his. Mr Hayes, however, rather suggests that in other directions Scott' made mistakes. It is ft suggestion which willbe justly resented by Scott’ 9 many friends. - "/■ ' - - Those who Woilld like to know where “ the most terrible JilaCo ih the world ?? (
is to lie found may be referred to Mr Hayes’s pages.- The place is the centre of the Antarctic continent.
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Bibliographic details
Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1928, Page 4
Word Count
347WHAT KILLED CAPT. SCOTT? Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1928, Page 4
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