What Is Scurvy?
Scurvy is a condition caused by lack of vitamin C in ones system. It became a common problem for sailors during the renaissance era because they spent long periods of time without access to fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C.
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What Were The Effects Of Scurvy On Sailing in This Era
For a long time there was no cure to scurvy, and as a result it brought many sailing expeditions to a halt. For example, in the case of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama's first expedition, over half of his crew died of scurvy. He even had to abandon one of his three ships to maintain an adequate crew on the two that remained.