Scottish naval surgeon James Lind conducted many experiments while trying to cure scurvy. Using 12 scurvy victims aboard the Royal Navy's H.M.S. Salisbury, Lind tried cider, nutmeg, vinegar, an elixir of vitriol, and a compound made from garlic, myrrh, mustard and balsam of Peru. None worked. Then he gave two men two oranges and a lemon every day, and the victims recovered quickly. Lind discovered that citrus fruits contain an antiscorbutic acid, which is why vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. Other sources of vitamin C include strawberries, cantaloupe, raw cabbage and tomatoes. Lind was born Oct. 4, 1716, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Copyright InteliHealth, Inc., 2012. All rights reserved.