The signs and symptoms of Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton, an accomplished Antarctic explorer, developed a life-threatening illness during the Discovery Antarctic expedition of 1901–4. His documented signs and symptoms included inflamed gums attributed to scurvy, severe dyspnea, and exercise intolerance, presenting in a setting of nutriti...
| Published in: | Journal of Medical Biography |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publications
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/09677720211002205 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/09677720211002205 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/09677720211002205 |
| Summary: | Ernest Shackleton, an accomplished Antarctic explorer, developed a life-threatening illness during the Discovery Antarctic expedition of 1901–4. His documented signs and symptoms included inflamed gums attributed to scurvy, severe dyspnea, and exercise intolerance, presenting in a setting of nutritional deficiency. Physical examinations at a later date, also following a prolonged diet of limited fresh food, revealed a pulmonary systolic murmur. Thiamine deficiency with cardiomyopathy, either alone or subsequently exacerbated by advanced scurvy, may have been a prominent cause of Shackleton’s condition. |
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