scurvy
Last reviewed 01/2018
Scurvy is a disease due to deficiency of ascorbic acid - vitamin C - and is characterised by anaemia, spongy gums, a tendency to mucocutaneous haemorrhages, and brawny induration of calf and leg muscles.
For infants, adequate amounts of vitamin C are present in:
- breast milk - unless the mother has subclinical avitaminosis C
- most proprietary infant milk formulae
Inadequate amounts of vitamin C are found in:
- cow's milk
- all boiled, dried, or evaporated milks