Darwin-L Message Log 8:99 (April 1994)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<8:99>From phlkcs@gsusgi2.gsu.edu  Wed Apr 27 11:32:18 1994

Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 12:31:06 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Kelly C. Smith" <phlkcs@gsusgi2.gsu.edu>
Subject: Re: vitamin C
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu

On Wed, 27 Apr 1994, Arlen Carey wrote:

> As I recall from the distant past (>1 ybp), some of the research/claims
> extolling the virtues of vitamin c for the health/nutrition of today's
> human population recommended massive doses for true palliative effects
> (massives doses = 15-20 grams per day).  How could our ancestors have
> consumed enough fruit to obtain an equivalent amount of vitamin c?
> (Perhaps part of the answer concerns the fact that some of the beneficial
> effects of such massive consumption are realized only relatively late in
> life--at a point so late that the benefits would have little if any
> effect on reproductive success.)  Any other ideas?

The beneficial effects of taking truly massive doses of C (if they exist)
need not be explained in terms of selection (at least not directly).
Humans were never selected for their responsivness to penicillin, etc.,
but they work nonetheless.
Kelly Smith
phlkcs@gsusgi2.gsu.edu

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