Tag: Pirate life

Over two million sailors died from scurvy between the 16th and 18th centuries, a crippling and painful fate that no self-respecting pirate wished to face. Understanding how to avoid scurvy as a pirate was not just a health concern, but a matter of sheer survival that separated the living from the legends.

An estimated two million sailors died from scurvy between the 16th and 18th centuries, a number far exceeding battle deaths. But how did pirates stop scurvy when at sea for months without the fresh fruit and vegetables needed to prevent this dreaded disease?