When long sea voyages became common, the disease of scurvy became rampant among sailors. Little was known about what caused scurvy and less about its cure.
In 1553, Admiral Sir Richard Hawkins noted that during his career on the high seas, 10,000 seamen under his command died of scurvy. He also recorded that in his experience sour oranges and lemons had been most effective in curing the disease. The observations of this admiral went unheeded by those in authority.
In 1753 (200 years later), James Lind, a British naval surgeon, published a book in which he stated explicitly that scurvy could be eliminated simply by supplying sailors with lemon juice. He cited many case histories from his experience as a naval surgeon at sea. In fact, he stated that anything that contains enough vitamin C would prevent scurvy.
You might rightfully expect that Dr. Lind would have been highly honored and praised for this great contribution, but the reverse is true. He was ridiculed. The Lords of the Admiralty and physicians ignored his evidence. Not until 1794, the year of Dr. Lind´s death, was a British Navy squadron supplied with lemon juice before a voyage. On that voyage, which lasted 23 weeks (nearly half a year), there was not one case of scurvy.
Yet, unbelievably, another 10 years passed (250 years later) before regulations were enacted requiring sailors to drink a daily ration of lemon juice to prevent scurvy. With this enactment, scurvy disappeared from the British Navy. This needless loss of life was simply because those in authority were resistant to change.
Chiropractic care has only been in existence since 1895. It has been ridiculed, labeled an unscientific cult and its practitioners have endured much hardship. Many of our Chiropractic forefathers were jailed for their beliefs. Massachusetts was the last state to license Chiropractors, as a legitimate healing profession and that did not occur until 1961! The day will come when Chiropractic and Chiropractors will be highly regarded and many of the current medical cures will seem bizarre and barbaric.
Dr. Joseph Gitto, BA, DC, CFMP, FDN, CWC
Advanced Chiropractic
Functional Nutrition
Cold Laser
331 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ
609-484-9300
www.drgitto.com