Lind, James (1716-1794), a Scottish physician, was one of the first people to study the effect of diet on human health. As early as the 1740’s, Lind used lemons and oranges to cure scurvy (a disease characterized by weakness, bleeding gums, and spots on the skin) in sailors, who rarely ate fresh fruit on long voyages. In 1754, Lind published A Treatise on Scurvy, and in 1757, he expounded his views on naval hygiene in On the Most Effectual Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen. In 1795, the British navy followed Lind’s advice and began issuing daily rations of lemon juice to its men. Lind was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Oct. 4, 1716. He died on July 13, 1794.
