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
The whole number of sick on board on the first of this month, in
thirty-six ships of the line and two frigates, upon which the preceding
calculation is formed, was one thousand four hundred and eighteen. The
whole number taken ill in the course of the month was two thousand
eight hundred and twenty-eight; the number sent to the hospital was one
hundred and seventy-three; and there died on board ninety-four.
The proportion of those who died this month, in relation to the whole
number on board, was one in two hundred and eighty-seven.
There was a considerable increase of sickness and mortality this month
in all the common diseases, and chiefly in that part of the squadron
which was in port. There was less increase in the number of fevers
than either of the other two epidemics; but such was their increased
malignancy, that more died of them than of both the others. The number
of fluxes was more than double of what it was the preceding month, and
the mortality from them was also in a much greater proportion, as may
be seen from the Tables.
The fevers prevailed chiefly in port, and the fluxes at sea. A good
many of the latter, indeed, arose in the Alcide, though constantly in
port; but this seemed to be owing to contagion conveyed by some British
soldiers, who were sent on board of this ship after being retaken in
one of the French men of war, several of whom were ill of this disease.
But there were few fluxes in those ships at Jamaica in which the most
malignant fevers appeared. There were a few in those in which the
fevers arose from the air of the marshes on the watering duty; but
there were none on board of the French prizes, nor in those ships in
which that sort of fever was which proceeded from a similar cause, that
is, filth and animal effluvia. Upon the whole, in those ships in which
the fever was most malignant, there the fewest fluxes were found.
Several circumstances contributed to the increase of sickness and
mortality this month.
1st. The infection, or rather the foul air, of the French prizes, in
most of which a very bad fever broke out among the officers and men
that were sent from the ships of our fleet to take charge of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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