Conducted the first controlled clinical trial, proving citrus cures scurvy
James Lind was a Scottish physician who served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy. In 1747, aboard HMS Salisbury, he conducted what is considered the first controlled clinical trial in medical history. He took 12 sailors with scurvy and divided them into 6 pairs, giving each pair a different treatment: cider, sulfuric acid, vinegar, seawater, oranges and lemons, or a purgative mixture. Within six days, the two sailors given citrus fruits were nearly recovered, while the others showed no improvement. Despite this clear result, it took another 42 years before the Royal Navy mandated citrus juice for all sailors.
A Treatise of the Scurvy
1753
Established experimental method in medicine; eventually led to discovery of vitamin C and concept of "essential" nutrients