1946 – Scurvy (ascorbic acid deficiency), International Lists code 67                       —     21

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard Nov 16, 2023 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

 –-21  US Public Health Service. Vital Statistics…[US] 1946, Part I…Mortality Data…, p. 105.[1]

Narrative Information

Medical News Today (Peter Crosta): “Scurvy is the name for a vitamin C deficiency. It can lead to anemia, debility, exhaustion, spontaneous bleeding, pain in the limbs, and especially the legs, swelling in some parts of the body, and sometimes ulceration of the gums and loss of teeth.

“Scurvy has been known since ancient Greek and Egyptian times. It is often associated with sailors in the 15th to 18th centuries, when long sea voyages made it hard to get a steady supply of fresh produce. Many died from the effects. It also occurred during the Irish potato famine in 1845 and the American Civil War. The most recent documented outbreak was in Afghanistan in 2002, following war and a drought.

“Modern cases of scurvy are rare, especially in places where enriched breads and cereals are available, but it can still affect people who do not consume enough vitamin C….

“Symptoms of scurvy result from severe vitamin C deficiency.

“They include bleeding sores, tooth loss, anemia, and a reduced rate of healing for injuries.

“It can be fatal if left untreated.

“Scurvy is treatable with oral or intravenous vitamin C supplements….”

Sources

Costa, Peter. “Everything you need to know about scurvy.” Medical News Today, 12-5-2017 update. Accessed 7-2-2018 at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155758.php

United States Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency. Vital Statistics of the United States 1946, Part I, Natality and Mortality Data for the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1948. Accessed 11-16-2023 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/VSUS_1946_1.pdf

[1] General Tables – Deaths From Each Cause. Table 5.– Deaths From Each Cause, by Specified Race and Sex…1946.