SCURVY THE CAUSE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11591, 13 February 1913, Page 5

SCURVY THE CAUSE.

PROFESSOR DAVID »S OPINION

(Received Thursday, at 9.20 a.m.)

SYDNEY, Thursday

Professor David, in an interview, said: "The idea that Captain Scott left the party and himself too reduced in rations is quite disproved by the direct statement of Scott's diary regarding the details of the dash for the Pole working out to perfection. That scurvy was the prime cause of the disaster is obvious from the following facts: — Commander Evans and Surgeon Atkinson, members of the supporting party of four, who were despatched back to the winter quarter's when Scott was within 170 miles of the Pole, contracted scurvy, and the whole party previous to this separation had been subsisting exactly on similar rations, and Scott's party existed on like rations from January 3rd until death overtook them. "Scurvy is still imperfectly understood. It is connected either with food which is actively deleterious to the human system,.as in the case of tainted bacon, which caused scurvy to attack the southern party on Scott's first expedition in 1902-3, or with food that is deficient in some ingredients that are deficient in some ingredients that are absolutely necessary to the keeping of the body in health. That scurvy actually attacked the polar party seems clear from Scott's diary, although the word 'scurvy' is not expressly used." Professor David, in support of this statement, quotes the reference regarding the sickness of Seaman Evans and Captain Oates. "It was not clear," he said, "whether Dr. Wilson and Lieut.

Bowers and Captain Scott were affected with scurvy, but it is more than probable they had then or just previously light attacks. Even if they had not had scurvy their health undoubtedly would have been weakened from the fact that in the long continuous gales and very low temperatures they would have been unable to perspire. We found on Shackleton 's expedition that perspiring very materially helped to keep us in good health.

"Had the party not been weakened by- some kind of sickness they would surely have won through in spite of all the low temperatures and. all the blizzards."

Kef erring to the shortage of fuel at the depots Professor David states that Bernard Day, who assisted in laying some" of the depots assures him that a full allowance of oil fuel was left at all the depots, but the allowance which was officially fixed —one gallon for four men for ten hours—only barely suffices for cooking in', warm weather, and no doubt in the very severe weather encountered'by .Scott at the grat ice barrier in March this allowance would be somewhat insufficient.