SCURVY AND VITAMIN C.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21136, 19 March 1932, Page 7 (Supplement)

SCURVY AND VITAMIN C.

Vitamin 0-occurs mainly in fresh fruit juices, such as of orange or lemon, in raw cabhage leaves, and the juice of turnips. It, is also present in fresh milk end meat juice in small amounts. This vitamin is readily destroyed by heat at, the temperature of boiling water. Ordinary cooking and canniftg, therefore, destroy it completely. When milk is pasteurised it is also destroyed. Fresh fruit may, however, l>e cooked or canned in a special way and still' retain its full complement of vitamin 0. nhis method consists in getting rid of oil the oxygen before cooking or canning is started. The fruit is peeled and cut up fresh, and then covered with a weak solution of salt in water. After remaining standing like this for a little over 12 hours it can be cooked or canned and will then keep for at least six months rich in its vitamin content.; The absence of vitamin~C trom the diet results in the disease known as scurvy. This used to be common among sailors and explorers, who, perhaps foi months, were unable to get food or fruit. -The symptoms consisted in increasing weakness, with bleeding from the gums and nose, bleeding under the skin, causing widespread "bruises and black eyes, bleeding under the coating of the bones, causing severe pain, and bleeding from the kidneys and intestines. Nowadays it is seldom seen in adults in ordinary circumstances —only among those who, through long illness, have put themselves oh too strict a diet, or who, through poverty or other stress, are starving. ]t is, however, seen quite commonly in infants'who have been fed "too caielully " on artificial sterilised foods.