Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 2Parry, William Edward, Sir
History
Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 2
Parry, William Edward, Sir
Arctic regions; Northwest Passage; Parry, William Edward, Sir, 1790-1855
"Their distance from the ships at once precluded any effectual
assistance being rendered them at their huts, and their removal on
board with safety; the complaints of those who died at the huts,
therefore, did not come under observation. It appears, however, to
have been acute inflammation of some of the abdominal viscera, very
rapid in its career. In the generality, the disease assumed a more
insidious and sub-acute form, under which the patient lingered for
a while, and was then either carried off by a diarrhoea, or slowly
recovered by the powers of nature. Three or four individuals, who,
with some risk and trouble, were brought to the ships, we were
providentially instrumental in recovering; but two others, almost
helpless patients, were so far exhausted before their arrival, that
the endeavours used were unsuccessful, and death was probably
hastened by their removal.
"That affection of the eyes known by the name of snow-blindness, is
extremely frequent among these people. With them it scarcely ever
goes beyond painful irritation, while among strangers inflammation
is sometimes the consequence. I have not seen them use any other
remedy besides the exclusion of light; but, as a preventive, a
wooden eye-screen is worn, very simple in its construction,
consisting of a curved piece of wood, six or seven inches long, and
ten or twelve lines broad. It is tied over the eyes like a pair of
spectacles, being adapted to the forehead and nose, and hollowed
out to favour the motion of the eyelids. A few rays of light only
are admitted through a narrow slit an inch long, cut opposite to
each eye.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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