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  • Solving Scurvy With Limes: One of the First Uses of Statistics in Medicine

    February 10, 2012

    Patricia English, Director of Oncology Statistics

    Over the next year or so, I will be blogging about the history of statistics use in medicine and clinical trials (afterall, I am a statistican.)

    Most medical research, before the 20th century, consisted of reporting cases on an individual basis to determine cause and effect (usually not very accurately). But the first know clinical trial occurred in 1747. James Lind, a Royal Navy (British) surgeon was looking for a cure/prevention for scurvy (in short, spongy gums, sores and loose and the loss of teeth in advanced cases). This was a huge problem in navys around the world, since sailors could be at sea for months.

    Lind fed sailors afflicted with scurvy six different treatments and determined that a factor in citrus fruit (vitamin C) cured the disease while other foods did not. Decades later, limes were stocked on all ships, and the incidence of scurvy decreased dramatically. This is how British sailors got the nickname “limeys,” although they still had their teeth!

    Lind published his results in 1753 in “A Treatise on the Scurvy” (London: A. Millar.)

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  1. Rebecca Jenkins said:

    Once again, I learn something new everyday – thanks Patricia!

    on February 16, 2012 at 6:02 pm