How Did Pirates Use Rum to Cure Scurvy on Long Voyages?
If you’ve ever seen a pirate movie, chances are you’ve seen the pirates sitting around a table, sloshing back jugs of rum. However, did you know that pirates drank rum for a lot more than the buzz it gave them? In fact, one of the main reasons that pirates drank so much rum was to keep themselves healthy on long voyages. In those days, one of the most common health issues for sailors was scurvy, and rum was actually a key ingredient in preventing and even curing it.
What was Scurvy?
Before we dive into how rum helped cure scurvy, let’s first understand what scurvy is. Scurvy is a condition caused by a deficiency of vitamin C in the body. Vitamin C is necessary for the body to produce collagen, which is crucial for the proper function of blood vessels, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Without vitamin C, the body starts to break down and lose strength. The symptoms of scurvy can include:
– Fatigue
– Weakness
– Muscular pain
– Aching joints
– Swollen and bleeding gums
– Bruising
– Emotional changes
Scurvy was a common problem on long voyages for sailors, as they were often at sea for months at a time without access to fresh fruits and vegetables – the primary source of vitamin C.
How did Pirates Use Rum to Cure Scurvy?
While pirates were known for their love of rum, they didn’t drink it just for the fun of it – they drank it because it was believed to cure scurvy. Pirates would often fill barrels with fruit and water, then add a healthy dose of rum to the mix. This was known as grog, and it was a staple on pirate ships. The use of grog to prevent and cure scurvy was a common practice amongst sailors during the age of sail.
Rum was a perfect solution for preventing scurvy for a few reasons. Firstly, rum is made from sugarcane, which contains a small amount of vitamin C. While one glass of rum contains very little vitamin C, it is still enough to help prevent scurvy when consumed regularly. However, the main reason rum was used to cure scurvy was that it could make fruits and vegetables last longer.
Pirates would often trade spices, fruits and vegetables with native communities during their voyages. However, fresh produce would only last a few days at sea before rotting. To combat this, pirates would soak their fruits and vegetables in rum or add it to their grog, effectively pickling the produce. This allowed them to store fruits and vegetables for voyages lasting months without worrying about spoilage.
The Benefits of Vitamin C
While rum helped to prevent scurvy, it was the vitamin C found in fresh produce that could cure the condition. When a sailor started to show symptoms of scurvy, they were often given a ration of fresh lemons, limes or oranges. These fruits are high in vitamin C, which would help to correct the deficiency in the sailor’s body.
In fact, the benefits of vitamin C were so well-known that it was eventually required that all British Navy ships carry citrus fruits on board. This requirement was introduced in the 1790s and remained in place until the discovery of vitamin C in the 1930s.
The Dangers of Alcoholism
While rum and grog were effective at preventing scurvy, the overconsumption of alcohol was a major problem for pirates. The daily ration of grog was often the only thing that kept pirates from going thirsty on long voyages, but it also led to many of them becoming drunk and even addicted to alcohol. Alcoholism was a common problem amongst pirates, and many died as a result of it.
In fact, back in the 18th century, drunkenness was a common problem not only amongst pirates, but amongst the general population as well. This is why temperance movements emerged during the Victorian era, as people realized the dangers of alcoholism.
Conclusion
While pirates may have been known for their love of rum, the truth is that rum played an important role in keeping sailors healthy on long voyages. The pickling properties of rum allowed pirates to store fruits and vegetables for longer periods of time, and the small amount of vitamin C found in rum helped to prevent scurvy. However, it’s important to remember that overconsumption of alcohol can lead to addiction and many other health problems.
Today, scurvy is almost unheard of in the western world, as we have access to fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. However, the history of pirates and their use of rum to prevent scurvy is a fascinating one that sheds light on the challenges that sailors faced in the past.
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