Comment by Mistress Maya on dirtychai

@dirtychai The symptoms don't match scurvy at all, so it would be strange if it was. Plus going by their level of medicine scurvy would have been long since figured out and sailors would know how to treat it. Syphilis would need an anti-biotic to treat properly which wouldn't be discovered yet, mercury treatment did work but then you would die of mercury poison which was just as bad if not worse. I assume it's mercury poisoning but why they wouldn't just outright say that I don't know. Of course it could be a long long list of other venerial diseases, or just general diseases too someone would get traveling to another continent.

Read Cursed Princess Club, it's finished and fantastic.

1 Reply

dirtychai·2 years ago

@Mistress Maya um actually 🧐...
The symptoms of syphilis include ulcers, vaginal discharge, wart-like growth in groin area, fatigue, itching, mouth ulcers, weight loss, etc.

The symptoms of scurvy include fatigue, fever, weight loss, mouth is bleeding and gums are very sensitive, heavy rashes and red spots, bruising, ulcers throughout the body discharging foul smelling puss etc.

Now, admittedly it's not very similar to our modern concepts, but considering this is probably the 17th century (but with magic), I wouldn't be surprised that they mis diagnosed. Pretty common back then.

Also: scurvy wasn't certifiably logged until the mid 1700 with James Lind in the British Navy. Also also: I was just joking, relax lol

Back to dirtychai