Scurvy
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In a discussion with Tim Ferriss, Dr. Nolan Williams delves into the human resistance to accepting innovative solutions and uses the historical case of scurvy as an example. He explains that, in the 1750s, there were people known as "antifruiters" who were skeptical of fruits like citrus being the solution for scurvy. Although it was known since the late 1400s that sailors planting citrus trees helped prevent scurvy, skepticism persisted.
James Lind's clinical trial on scurvy using citrus fruits proved their effectiveness, but it took nearly 100 years for this knowledge to be widely accepted. This underscores a deeper human tendency to reject simple solutions that seem counter to modern human inventions and pharmaceutical advancements 1.
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