Stuff You Missed in History Class Rickets
Jan 26, 2026
A lively look at how vitamin D, sunlight and cod liver oil became clues to a centuries-old bone disease. They trace archaeological finds, artworks and early medical reports that reveal rickets rising with urban smog and the Little Ice Age. The story follows debates over oil versus sunlight, landmark experiments, and how fortification and public health cut the disease down.
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How Vitamin D Causes Rickets
- Vitamin D deficiency prevents proper calcium absorption, blocking bone mineralization in growing children.
- Rickets mainly affects infants, children, and adolescents during rapid growth when bones need mineralization.
Sunlight, Skin, And Vitamin D Synthesis
- Skin synthesizes vitamin D from UVB but factors like latitude, clothing, glass, and pollution limit production.
- Melanin reduces synthesis, so darker-skinned people need more sun exposure at the same latitude.
Archaeology Reveals Ancient Rickets
- Archaeologists found a 5,000-year-old skeleton in Scotland showing rickets, the oldest known case so far.
- Roman-era cemeteries also show rickets in over 1 in 20 children, with infants most often affected.
