Columbus Day and a Look at Scurvy

On the evening of August 3, 1492, Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, with three ships: the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. The land was sighted on October 12, 1492. Columbus called the island San Salvador (today, it is known as the Bahamas).

Scurvy was a major health problem onboard Christopher Columbus's ships. Fresh fruits and vegetables were not taken on these long voyages due to spoilage. This resulted in a high incidence of scurvy among the sailors. The relationship between scurvy and Vitamin C has not been discovered yet.

The typical foods brought on these long journeys consisted of water, vinegar, wine, olive oil, molasses, honey, cheese, rice, almonds, salted flour, sea biscuits, dry legumes, salted and barreled sardines, anchovies, dry salt cod and pickled or salted meats (beef and pork). Fresh livestock, including pigs and chickens, were part of the ship's provisions. Fish was readily available.

Foods were commonly salted and pickled as a method of preserving food. The crew was served two meals a day. Foods were mostly boiled and served in a large wooden bowl. The sailors ate with their fingers because they had no forks or spoons. There was a lack of proper sanitation. Hand washing before meals was not required.

There is a legend that during one of Christopher Columbus's voyages, some sailors had scurvy and wanted to be dropped off at one of the nearby islands and die there rather than dying on board. While the men were on the island, they ate some of the island's fresh fruits and vegetables and to their amazement, began to recover. When Columbus's ships passed by several months later, the captain saw the men were alive and healthy. The island was named Curacao, meaning Cure.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C

Pirates For Sail talks about
Scurvy Awareness and Prevention

Filmed at Piratz Tavern, Silver Spring, MD 

Scurvy Awareness. A Story About Ollie the Orange

 May 2nd is Scurvy Awareness Day. Scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C and is still prevalent in certain populations around the world.

Symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, joint pain, and swollen gums. Thankfully, scurvy is easy to prevent by incorporating foods rich in vitamin C into your diet, such as citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, peppers, and broccoli. Let's spread awareness about the importance of getting enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy! #ScurvyAwareness #VitaminC #HealthyDiet

Ollie, the Orange Fights Scurvy

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived an orange named Ollie. Ollie was a sweet, juicy, and plump orange who lived in a sunny orchard with his friends. He loved nothing more than basking in the sun and growing big and strong.

One day, while enjoying a sunny day in the orchard, Ollie overheard a group of fruits talking about a scary disease called scurvy. They said that scurvy happened when someone did not eat enough vitamin C and that it could cause a person to become very sick.

Ollie was a curious orange, and he wanted to learn more about this scary disease. So, he decided to ask the wise lemon who lived in the orchard.

The wise lemon told Ollie that vitamin C was very important for keeping our bodies healthy and strong. She said that fruits and vegetables were the best sources of vitamin C and that people who did not get enough of this vitamin could get sick with scurvy.

Ollie was very worried about the people who might get sick with scurvy. He knew he had to do something to help. So, Ollie gathered all of his vitamin C-rich friends, and they decided to team up and spread the word about the importance of eating foods rich in vitamin C.

Together, the fruits and vegetables made posters and held a rally in the town square. They sang songs and handed out oranges to everyone they met. They even talked to the news, who promised to spread the word about vitamin C and scurvy to all the people in the world.

Thanks to Ollie and his vitamin C-rich friends, the people of their community learned about the importance of eating foods rich in vitamin C, like the ones on their signs. They started to eat more fruits and vegetables, and scurvy became a thing of the past. And Ollie the Orange became a hero in the land, known for his bravery, kindness, and juicy goodness.

Ollie is Our Hero