Observations on the Diseases of SeamenBlane, Gilbert, Sir
History
Observations on the Diseases of Seamen
Blane, Gilbert, Sir
Medicine, Naval -- Early Works To 1800; Sailors -- Diseases
[64] It is related by the travellers into Turkey, that the Christians
save themselves from it, merely by shutting themselves up in their
houses, and the inhabitants, who sleep on the open roofs of the houses,
do not catch it even from those of the adjacent buildings, though the
wall that separates them is of no great heighth.
[65] Vide Opera Ambrosii Parei.
[66] See Essay on Sea Diseases.
[67] Limes, shaddocks, and perhaps all the other fruits of that class,
possess the same virtues; but I have most frequently observed good
effects from lemons.
[68] In the course of the passage from England to the West Indies in
February, 1782, the following directions for using the sour krout and
melasses were given in public orders by the Admiral to the different
ships of the squadron:
“The allowance of sour krout made by the public boards in England, is
two pounds to each man every week; and the Admiral orders that from a
pound and a half to two pounds (beginning with the lesser quantity,
and increasing as the men may find it palatable) be boiled with every
gallon of pease on a pease day. The cooks are desired not to wash it,
nor to put it into the coppers till the pease are sufficiently broken.
“Half a pound is directed to be issued raw to each man on beef days,
and a quarter of a pound on pork days. It is recommended that the
allowance of vinegar be saved, particularly on meat days. When sour
krout runs short, the pease and beef days to have the preference; when
shorter still, the pease days. Melasses having been allowed in lieu of
part of the oatmeal, in the proportion of eleven pounds to two gallons,
the Admiral directs, that a pound of melasses be boiled with every
gallon of oatmeal on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, mixing it and
stirring it round with the burgoo immediately after it is drawn off.
He directs that half a pound of melasses be issued with every three
pounds of flour over and above the common proportion of raisins; and
to prevent any abuse, it is directed that the purser’s steward pour
it into the platter with the flour of which the pudding is made. The
Admiral forbids the use of pease in lieu of oatmeal, as has sometimes
been the practice.”
These rules were suggested by Sir Charles Douglas, captain of the
fleet, whose benevolence is equal to his known professional skill; and
he had ascertained the utility of the preceding directions when captain
of the Duke in the former part of the war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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