Top 1% — Elite Historical Figure
James Lind
Medicine · Naval Medicine
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
125 Total Impact
Overview
James Lind was a medicine specialist who conducted one of the first clinical trials in 1747, proving citrus prevents scurvy. Pioneer of evidence-based medicine. Based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
For Patients
- Pioneered the Controlled clinical trial methodology, a technique still used by doctors worldwide
- Based at Royal Haslar Hospital in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Biography
James Lind was a Scottish physician who conducted one of the first clinical trials in medical history in 1747, demonstrating that citrus fruits could cure and prevent scurvy. His controlled experiment on 12 sailors laid the groundwork for evidence-based medicine and clinical trial methodology.
Affiliations & Institutions
Areas of Expertise
Pioneering Techniques
Medical Specialties
Clinical Knowledge & Procedures
Legacy Timeline
The life and contributions of James Lind
1747
Conducted first controlled clinical trial
Tested six different scurvy treatments on 12 sailors aboard HMS Salisbury, proving citrus effective
1753
Published 'A Treatise of the Scurvy'
Published the results of his clinical trial, one of the most important medical texts in history
1795
Royal Navy adopted citrus rations
Decades after Lind's findings, the Royal Navy mandated lime juice for all sailors, eliminating scurvy
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