James Cook developed innovative treatments for scurvy

Scurvy had a devastating impact on sailors who attempted lengthy ocean trips. The sickness, which is brought on by a lack of vitamin C, did affect several of Cook's crew, but he is credited with having "conquered" it. Fresh fruit, malt, soup, vinegar, mustard, and one particularly vitamin-rich nonperishable food: sauerkraut, were some cure-alls that Cook and his surgeon said helped fight off the sickness. This was mainly due to his fixation on obtaining fresh meals on each of his visits. Cook packed several tons of pickled cabbage on his trips because, despite not knowing the cause or treatment for scurvy, he was aware that it appeared to prevent the sickness. The only issue he had was convincing his team to consume it.

James Cook served sauerkraut to the officers for dinner as a ruse. By making the fermented cabbage at the officer's table, Cook persuaded his crew to consume it, leading the lower-ranking men to believe it was a delicacy and yearn for it themselves. Additionally, his crew brewed spruce beer to stave off scurvy, albeit the boiled drink probably didn't have much vitamin C. At the time, Cook was praised for his anti-scurvy abilities, and the Royal Society even gave him the Copley Gold Medal in 1766 for his efforts to improve the health of his crew, which is one of the interesting facts about James Cook. But even though Cook's doctor said there were no scurvy deaths on his travels, it is now thought that at least two of his crew members perished from the illness.