MCQ Detailed View

Sailors Disease is a historical name for a medical condition called Scurvy. It is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. This condition was common among sailors in the past who went on long sea voyages without access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, a protein that helps maintain the strength of connective tissues, skin, blood vessels, and bones. When the body doesn’t get enough Vitamin C over time, it starts showing signs of weakness, bleeding gums, joint pain, and poor wound healing — all symptoms of Scurvy.

The reason sailors were most affected is because they often lived on preserved foods like salted meat and dry bread, which had little or no Vitamin C. Without fresh citrus fruits or vegetables, their bodies couldn’t produce enough collagen, and they became sick after weeks at sea.

Here’s why the other options are incorrect:

• 
  

  Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and dry eyes, not Sailors Disease.

  
  


• 
  

  Vitamin K is responsible for blood clotting. A deficiency may lead to excessive bleeding but is unrelated to Scurvy.

  
  


• 
  

  Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets (in children) or osteomalacia (in adults), both of which affect bones.

  
  

Vitamin C is found in foods like oranges, lemons, strawberries, kiwi, and green leafy vegetables. Regular intake of these can prevent Scurvy.

In summary, Sailors Disease is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C. This MCQ is an important part of biology because it helps students understand the link between nutrition and health.