Scurvy, a disease of dietary deficiency of vitamin C, is uncommon today. Among 
diseases, scurvy has a rich history and an ancient past. The Renaissance (14th 
to 16th centuries) witnessed several epidemics of scurvy among sea voyagers. In 
1747, James Lind, a British Naval surgeon, performed a carefully designed 
clinical trial and concluded that oranges and lemons had the most antiscorbutic 
effect. Eventually, with the provision of lemon juice to the sea voyagers, 
scurvy became rare at sea. Infantile scurvy appeared almost as a new disease 
toward the end of the 19th century. The increased incidence of infantile scurvy 
during that period was attributed to the usage of heated milk and proprietary 
foods. Thomas Barlow described the classic clinical and pathologic features of 
infantile scurvy in 1883. Between 1907 and 1912, Holst and Frolich induced and 
cured scurvy in guinea pigs by dietary modification. In 1914, Alfred Hess 
established that pasteurization reduced the antiscorbutic value of milk and 
recommended supplementation of fresh fruit and vegetable juices to prevent 
scurvy. Such pioneering efforts led to the eradication of infantile scurvy in 
the United States. A brief history of infantile scurvy is provided.