Francis Glisson (1597-1677), British physician, anatomist, physiologist and pathologist, was one of the first to describe and collect data on rickets. Glisson collaborated with several fellows, including co-authors Bate and Regemorter, of the Royal College of Physicians in publishing this very influential pediatric text in 1651. Although scurvy (deficiency in vitamin C) commonly accompanied rickets, it was shown to be a different disease. It was not until 1918 that the link to vitamin D was established. Edward Mellanby (1884-1955) showed that cod liver oil could prevent rickets in dogs.