Question

for many years, the greatest threat facing long - distance sailors was neither fierce pirates nor wild storms—it was scurvy, a dangerous illness caused by lack of vitamin c. in fact, its estimated that between the 16th and 18th centuries, over two million sailors died of the disease.
humans are one of only a few species that cant produce their own vitamin c. we must acquire it from fresh fruits and vegetables or we develop scurvy. unfortunately, because fruits and vegetables spoil quickly, theyre not ideal for long voyages, so they generally werent part of early sailors diets. and because vitamins wouldnt be identified until the 1800s, doctors before that time failed to understand that vitamin c deficiency was responsible for sailors scurvy.
eighteenth - century scottish surgeon james lind was determined to devise a cure for scurvy, so he scoured existing medical literature and seafarers accounts. his investigation revealed that plant foods seemed to help sufferers of the disease. in 1753, lind conducted an experiment illuminating the benefits of citrus fruit in curing scurvy. however, it wasnt until 1795 that physician gilbert blane convinced the british navy to start providing daily citrus juice to its sailors, likely preventing millions of deaths.
a student inferred that the underlying cause of scurvy was discovered much later than the treatment for scurvy.
which two quotations from the text, taken together, best support this inference?

Explanation:

The text states that James Lind in 1753 showed citrus fruit helped cure scurvy (treatment). But vitamins weren't identified until the 1800s, so the cause (vitamin C deficiency) was discovered later. We need quotes that show the treatment - discovery time - gap.

1. "In 1753, Lind conducted an experiment illuminating the benefits of citrus fruit in curing scurvy." This shows the treatment discovery.
2. "And because vitamins wouldn't be identified until the 1800s, doctors before that time failed to understand that vitamin C deficiency was responsible for sailors' scurvy." This shows the later - discovery of the cause.

Answer:

1. "In 1753, Lind conducted an experiment illuminating the benefits of citrus fruit in curing scurvy."
2. "And because vitamins wouldn't be identified until the 1800s, doctors before that time failed to understand that vitamin C deficiency was responsible for sailors' scurvy."