On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Mary wrote:

> Todd, isn't there Vitamin C also in muscle meat? Especially if it is raw,
> like pemmican?

Well, we discussed this once before, and the answer is simply not
clear.  If you consult the USDA nutrient database you'll find
that the vitamin C content of beef, etc. is zero.  We also have
the testimony of Stefansson that pemmican *alone* is sufficient
to prevent scurvy.  It's possible that Stefansson was wrong; it's
also possible that the USDA database is wrong; and it's possible
that there is something else in fresh meat, other than ascorbic
acid, that prevents scurvy.  If this is so, it would certainly be
worth knowing about, but it's just a conjecture on my part.

I'm inclined to believe the USDA numbers to the effect that there
is no detectable vitamin C in muscle meat.  Therefore, I suspect
that either something else was eaten along with the pemmican to
prevent scurvy or something else *in* the pemmican prevents
scurvy.

Todd Moody
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