Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of
vitamin C. Humans and certain animals require vitamin C in their diets for the synthesis of
collagen. In infants, scurvy is sometimes referred to as
Barlow's disease, named after Sir
Thomas Barlow, a British
physician who described it in 1883. However, Barlow's disease may also refer to
mitral valve prolapse. Other eponyms for scurvy include
Moeller's disease and
Cheadle's disease. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy,
scorbutus, which also provides the adjective
scorbutic ("of, characterized by or having to do with scurvy").