Bicentennial Story #111-Scurvy at Fort Stevenson

Bicentennial Story #111-Scurvy at Fort Stevenson

Account of scurvy cases at Fort Stevenson and measures taken to reduce the number of cases.

10/2/1975

Father Louis Pfaller

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mp3

audio reel, analog, 1/4 inch polyester tape

English

BS-111

Fort Stevenson, ND

Copyright Stark County Historical Society and Dickinson Museum Center

In the 1860's, many of the soldiers stationed in Dakota were afflicted with scurvy, especially in the winter when vegetables were scarce. Fort Stevenson, for example, during 1868 had 79 cases of scurvy-about one third of the men stationed there. To combat the affliction, the men were given wild onions, artichokes, vinegar, sauer-kraut and pickles. Thereafter great pains were taken at the posts to raise vegetables to supplement the diet of salt pork and bread. Soldiers assigned as gardeners were relived of all other duty, including guard, and the various posts competed with one another in raising the finest cabbages, potatoes, radishes and so forth. By 1875 there were hardly any cases of scurvy to report.

This is Bicentennial Story No. 111, prepared by Father Louis Pfaller for the Stark County Historical Society.

Mattison, Stevenson, 73
Mattison, Army Post, 11
Rickey, Forty Miles, 98, 115

Sound recordings

1:17

128kbps

1970 1979

Bicentennial tape #7, Bicentennial stories 108-127