Solution (source code)

= Solution

\b[<Scurvy> supplies a clear illustration available to an 1864 candidate: an appropriate change in <diet> can act as a remedy.] In <A Treatise of the Scurvy by James Lind>, <James Lind> described a shipboard comparison begun on 20 May 1747. Twelve affected sailors lived in the same sick quarters and shared a common basic <diet>, while pairs received different additions. The additions included cider, acidic preparations, sea water, a compound preparation, and fresh oranges and lemons. Thus the comparison asked whether a particular addition helped, rather than merely observing that patients ate while recovering.

The pair given fresh citrus each received two oranges and one lemon daily. Supplies lasted six days. <James Lind> reported that one was then fit for duty, while the other had recovered sufficiently to help nurse the remaining sick. The exact contrast matters: two recoveries are not proof that every sour substance is equivalent to citrus, and <James Lind>'s physiological theories should not be confused with the observed result. The record is also a small comparison with incompletely specified allocation, rather than evidence for a modern randomized design. It nevertheless supplies a concrete, pre-1864 illustration of a therapeutic resource carried in <food>. <A Treatise of the Scurvy by James Lind>[1753, pp. 191–196, common diet, six paired treatments and the course of the citrus recipients; original pages reproduced by the James Lind Library]{ref}

\b[Present explanation.] <Scurvy> is caused by deficient <vitamin C> intake. Humans require a dietary source of <vitamin C>; it is needed for normal <collagen> formation. Deficiency weakens <connective tissue> and can produce fragile small <blood vessels>, bleeding gums and poor <wound healing>. Suitable <food> can therefore correct the deficiency, not merely disguise its symptoms. This explanation is later knowledge: an 1864 candidate could cite the effect of fresh antiscorbutic <food> without knowing the chemical identity of <vitamin C>. The effective factor is not simply acidity, nor is the claim that more <vitamin C> cures every unrelated disease. <Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals by NIH>[Introduction, Vitamin C Deficiency and Food Sources: dietary requirement, collagen, scurvy and citrus sources]{ref}

There is also a broader nutritional sense. In <malnutrition>, adequate <food> supplies energy and <protein> needed for recovery, and the composition and route of nutritional support depend on the person's capacity to eat and absorb it. Current guidance distinguishes ordinary enriched <food> and oral supplements from enteral or parenteral support when required. This extends the principle of using nourishment therapeutically, while distinguishing it from a specific cure such as correcting <vitamin C> deficiency. These present-day care pathways are not attributed to ancient practice or to the 1864 examiner. <Nutrition support for adults by NICE>[CG32 §§1.3–1.4 and 1.6–1.8: indications, prescription and routes of nutrition support]{ref}

The illustration therefore supports \b[a specific relation between nutritional need, a suitable <food>, and a measurable clinical effect]. It gives no warrant for replacing every other form of treatment with a general dietary slogan.