ARMED FORCES MEDICAL LIBRARY Washington, D. C. 'l/.JSi:'" OBSERVATIONS ON TUI S C U R V ' Y: WITH A REVIEW of the THEORIES LATELY ADVANCED OX THAT DISEAaE ; AND THE OPINIONS of Dr. M I L M A N REFUTED FROM PRACTICE. BY Thomas Trotter; A Sl'KCEON IN THE BRITISH NAVY, AND M E M B E It OF THE ROYAL MEDIC.U SOCIETY Pf SDINBUR6. mit r.tvc bttc no/Iris fpcBen'ur ah Minis Q^a fcrimus. Virc, ySneid. PHILADELPHIA: Jrom the miss of JOHN rARKERV N°. 2591 North Sbcokd-strzet, 1793- « -1 ' 1-1 INTRODUCTION. P JL ERHAPS no man ever became an author without fome motive for his publication. " la " every branch of fcience," fays Dr. Cullen/ " with refpeft to which new fafts are daily ac- " quired, and thefe confequently giving occafi- " on to new reflections which correct the princi- " pies formerly adopted, it is necdfary from time " to time to reform and renew the whole fyf- " tern with all the additions and amendments it " has received and is then capable of." Under the fanclion of the above quotation, I muft apo- logife for my intrufion on the public. The pro- cefs of putrefaction in the living body in fcurvy>: having lately given rife to fome ingenious fpecula- tions ( iv ) Uons in our fchools of phyfic, I fhall hope to be pardoned for contributing a little to theftock of fafts on that fubjecl ; and fome which I appre- hend, will not be altogether unacceptable to thofe who wilh to profecute the matter {till farther. To write on a difeafe that has already employ- ed the pen of the late learned Dr. Lind, is a talk, Imuft confefs, on which I enter with much diffi- dence and regret. The very extenfive practice of that gentleman while a furgeon in the navy, and phyfician to one of the greateft marine hofpitals in fhe world, enabled him to produce a greater num- ber of facls than mofl practitioners that have ever written. To his Treatife on Scurvy we are in- debted for our prefent improved knowledge of the difeafe ; and as his own experience and actual ob- fervation had been ib long converfant with every flage of it, we are not to wonder that his opini- ons mould ftiil be the appeal of the different com- batants, whether it is a difeafe primarily of the foiids or fluids. But, notwithstanding the hifto- ry Lind has given us,in feveral places of his work, he has left us much in the dark ; and the doubts he has railed have been the caufe of much cpntro- ^erfy. It feemed therefore a fubjedl worthy of criticifro, as modern phyfuians are difpofed toba- nifh ( v ) nifh a humoral pathology from the doctrine of dif- eafes. There is perhaps no diforderon which the fpe- cnlating commentator may form notions more dif- tant from its real nature than fcurvy : And thofe who have feen fome practice in it, muft be con- vinced of the truth of my aflertions, if they confult a book lately written on that fubjedt. I muft re- mark, however, the work alluded to has not been offered to the world with that diffidence and re- ferve to which authors have recom-fe when they attempt to broach new opinions and introduce in- novations in fcience ; on the contrary, we have met with it as eftablifhed on facts not to be quef- ■tioned. But though the notions here inculcated are ingenious and new, the learned Dr. Milman has been accufed of publifhing the opinions of ano- ther man, well known as the leader of a doctrine, that has been peculiarly employed in collecting e- very new made of theory that could tend in the leaft to darken the luflre of the Cullenian sera. But it is fufficient to mention this, and hope for every author to enjoy the merit of his own difco- veries. Since the publication of this new theory on the ( vi ) the proximate caufe of putrid difeafes, it is no un- fcfhonable part of medical converfation for ftu- dents to talk of curing fcurvy by brandy and opi- um : The latter as they have found it to be a moft powerful ftimulant, fo it muft be the fitteft for o- vercoming a difeafe of debility. It is, however, to be hoped, that thefe gentlemen will carry their fpeculations no farther than their clofets. Such is the prefentftate of opinions concerning fcurvy ; and, I am forry to add, too much the cafe with many other difeafes of the human body. Theories, advanced on fpeculative notions, muft ever be baneful to fcience. In medicine this is particularly the cafe : Some fixed appeal in moft of the arts has generally decided the unprejudio- ed inquirer ; but to the difgrace of phyfic as a li- beral profeffion, no fuch coalition of theory has yet taken place, and facts themfelves are daily perverted %p ferve favourite opinions. When we reflect on the vaft fums of money that have been fpent on the recruiting and fupport of our navy, we muft at the fame time lament how fparingly it has been applied where the health of a failor is at ftake. To fhew that this is true, I need cr.ly mention, that many of our fhips of war C vii ) war on foreign ftations have actually buried the whole of the complement they carried from Eng- land, independent of thofe who have died in ac- tion : And thus they have confequently fallen a facrifice to the difeafes of long voyages and un- wholefome climates. Though thefe misfortunes are not now to be remedied, it might yet be fome confequence in future to avoid, if poffible, fuch calamities, by informing us of the caufes of thefe difafters in our mips of war. When we are told of five hundred furgeons having under their care the lives of 120,000 men in every different climate of the globe during a long war, and that fo few of that number fhouid have favoured the medical world with any new obfervation, what muft we impute it to ? Surely not merely becaufe a fea life affords no afylum for ftudy, or that no men of fcience are among the number. But when it is told, that upwards of three hundred of that number are turned adrift at the end of a war, without any reward'for fer- vice or provifion whatfoever, can it be furprifing they fhouid retire with difguft ; and that, while the human mind is concerned for its own fafety, art and fcience muft Janguiih, and inquiry be de- ferred? OB, OBSERVATIONS ON THI SCURVY; Hi--- SECTION r. AT is a matter of little confequence to us, whe- ther the fcurvy was known and defcribed by the anciepts ; and the ingenuity of fome late writers jias been as little fuccefsful in clearing the point. Difputes concerning the derivation of the v/ord fcorbutus are equally frivolous : they have led fome to confound the difeafe with fymptdms by no Gbftrvutiorts on th? Scurvy. . 9 ito means eflential to it ; and thus they reconcile thefpfen magnus and convolvulus funguineus to be jhe fame with fcurvy ; and, confequently it was known to Hippocrates. What value the autho- rity of antiquity may confer on the hiftory of dif- eafes is not to be difputed : but the labours of thefe gentlemen have* been as much misapplied here ^s others were in exploring the herba Bri; tannlcu of the Roman naturalift (celebrated for having cured the diforder in the RQman army ;) for we do not find in the writings of the ancient phyficians any thing worthy to be fought after, either in the hiftory of the fymptoms or cure cf fcurvy. ..-...'■-..,- *.V • • -.- , rv ■ -' -, 1 ( Modern nofologifts have been at fome pains to give us a definition of Scorbutus, by which it may always be diftinguifhed : and as it has been often thought to be a difeafe almpft pecuharrto our nor- thern latitudes, Dr. Cullen.begins with, the words- In regions frigidq. ..According to thc.prefent opir nions this was certainly a very juft preamble; but in this undertaking I fhall produce, facts fuffieient for confirmation, that fcurvy is not confined to. cold countries, and that cold itfelf is, not effential to the production of it. T he anorexia of Linna:us I muft alfo reject, as being indefinite of the cha~ B rafter 10 Obfervathm rafter of fcorbutus ; and the ur'ma pellicula tefia of Sagar, as well as that ftate of the pulfe and urine fo much talked of by different writers, are all liable to the fame objection. The notions of acid and alkaline fcurvics, with other fubdivifions, are fo hypothetical and incon- fiftent with our prefent ideas of the animal cccono- my and modern pathology, as to need only mention to be refuted. We are now well afTured thst there is but one fcurvy, which is the fame from all the different caufes; and the fame method of cure is equally to be purfued throughout the whole. Ever fmce we had the firft accounts of this difeafe clearly afcertained by different authors, the caufes producing it have been uniform and much the fame. A diet of falted and fmoke-dried provifion, a too large proportion of animal-food, and even damaged provifions of different kinds, have contributed towards the caufe. Low, damp fituations, bordering on marfhes and ftagnant wa- ters have alfo had their effects; and to all thefe may be added, a deficiency of frefh vegetable mat- ter, and the influence of cold, whether from fea- fon or climate. In the laborious collection of facts with which ths en the Scurvy. u the induftricus Dr. Lind has furnifhed us, we find that fcurvy has occurred from very oppofite caufes; and furgeons of Eaft-Indiamen have informed me, that they met with it in fhips when the crew lived altogether on rice. But as I had no particular defcription of this occurrence, I have nothing fur- ther to draw from the fad. That it was ever known but after a diet of faked provifions, has been doubted ; and as this could not be attributed to fcrve a favourite theory, I muft impute it to that waut of attention to a difeafe that more fel- dcra than others have come under the obfervaticm of men of enquiry. At the conclufion of the late war, and from mf rank on the navy lift not entitling me to immedi- ate employ, it was my fortune to embark on an African voyage. In converf/tion on the difeafes". peculiar to the feamen and negroes in this trade, I found the fcurvy had been often met with a- riong the; latter. From unfortunate circumftan- ccs, and delay in completing the cargo of our fhip, which was to be from feven to eight hundred ; about eight or nine months from the time we arri- ved on the coaft, the fcurvy began to break out among us. Such have at different times been the devastations of this dreadful malady, that whole s cargoes 12 Cbfervations cargoes have been carried off by it. Asthepre- yention and cure is of the firft importance to the commercial interefts of this kingdom, and as it has never yet been the fubject of medical inquiry, I fhail be the mere particular in my hiftory of its antecedents'and fymploms in the courfe cf thefe ©bfer vat-ions* : .:•-.« — Much has been advanced on the prcdifpofing caufes of fcurvy; and fome authors have in many places loft fight of the exciting for thepredifpofing. Thofe who have been particularly liable to it, and in whom it has been generally pbferved firft to occur, are thofe weakened by preceding difeafe, ;ud in a convalefcent ftate are too foon put upon thtrommon allowance of the ftiip. The lazy and inactive are next apt to fuffer : hence it is prover- bial among feamen, that the firft fcorbutics are 'ikulkers. This fet of people called fkulkers, not only fly from duty, but deprive themferves of ex- erciie, and are always of a repining difpofition. Thus it is that imprefTed men; and raw landmen, (hare its firft effects. Among the predifpofing caufes; exceflive fatigue isalfo mentioned; and its appearance in our fbips of war is often after hard ?des of wind, where the crew had been much fatigued on the Scurry. 13 fatigued'with the neceflary duty of the (hip dur- ing tempeftuous weather. Perfons of the me- hncholic temperament are univerfally obferved amonu the number afflicted with fcurvy wherever the occafional caufes wer* acting : and when we confider that the hypochondriacal difeafe is con- fined to that temperament, we may perceive why fome authors have confounded them together. In thefe cafes, in a beginning fcurvy, I have often marked a degree of fearfulnefs and difpondency : but fo far as- my experience goes, without any figns of dyfpepfia, which properly tharacterife hypochondriafisv In forming a diagnofis of fcurvy, there is but' Ihrtle danger of taking it to be a different difeafe. When we confider the-antecedents; and that any cf its fymptoms with which it is apt to be con- founded with other- diforders, have never been obferved without-fome frgn that perfectly diftin- guifhes it; there can" be little hazard of the atten- tive practitioner forming a wrong djagnoftic. Different kinds of herpes often pafs for fcur- vy, as being peculiar to certaineonftitutions; but fujh a term as a fcorbuiic. habit feems altoge^ ther fanciful In 14 (jbfervat'tims In enumerating the fymptoms of fcurvy, I /hall here confine myfelf to the manner it generally makes its appearance on board of his Majefty's fhips; and referve fome lingular occurrences, not hitherto mentioned, th-it I met with among the Negroes, when I come to relate its appearance in the Guincamen. Every perfon who has been a fea voyage, muft have perceived that longing defire for frefli ve- getables, after being for fome time deprived of them. This I have often marked the harbinger of fcurvy. Dr. Lind, in fome part of his work, has mentioned the fame circumftance: and he might very- juftly have put it down as a fymp- tom; for it is more or lefs an attendant on the difeafe; and not only amufes their waking hours with thoughts of green fields and rivers of pure water, but in dreams they are tantalifed with the fame ideas, and on waking nothing is fo n.or- tifying as the difappointment. When I heard a failor exprefling thefe defires, and lolling about, I was not furprifed to find him complain of fore gums, &o a few days after. About this time the colour cf the face looks fallow, the eye is dull and heavy', and the whole countenance as it were bloated : the patient feels himfelf wearied even after on the Scurvy. 15 after fleep, and complains of pains in different parts of the body : he grows inactive, and eafily "fatigued ; often timid ;' has gloomy ideas about his fafety, as if hypochondriacal ; he flies from duty, and wifhes to indulge in floth. To thefe generally fucceed the appearance of the gums which fo efpecially characterizes fcurvy : they {'well, are fpongy, and bleed on the flighteft caufe. The breath is fetid, and often attended* with fome difagreeable tafte of the mouth. Some dif- ficulty of refpiration alio now takes place on the patient ufing exercife ; but commonly inconfide- rable in this ftage, which may be calh'd the firft. All the fymptOHisnow mentioned, in fome cafes, ■increafe rapidly ; while in others they make little progrefs even for weeks ; and they are by no means regular in fucceffiun. At one time the firft appearance of fcurvy is known from the ul- cers having a thick coat of blood lying over their furface, called by the fail or £ bullock's liver, which it very much refembles ; and on removing this fubftance, in a few hours it exhibits the fame ap- pearance. At other times, it is firft perceived fi-om afwelling in the legs, which retain theim- preffion of one's finger; while a contrary feel of- ten difcovers i; by fome contraction and rigidity in J 6 Cbfavathns in the hamftrings, with a flight difcoloration ©f the fkin in the ham. This is frequently fo confi. derable, as to prevent the patieHt altogether from walking ; and I have feen it remain for months after every other fymptom of fcurvy difappeared. , As the difeafe advances, the laflitude, languor, and debility become more confiderable : The ref- piration is oppreffed on the fiighteft exertions, with a pronenefs to faint in an erect pofture, and on being expofed to air colder than the temperature they had juft before breathed; It is not uncom- mon for failors, afflicted with fcurvy, to walk upon deck, and dropdown irrecoverably ; though to all appearance, when below, there Seemed no danger- From this I muft infer no juft prognofi4 canbe always formed. The fetor of the breath now "becomes more intolerable : Pieces of the gums fall off like cloats of coagulated blood : The teeth are loofened in the ibckets, and fometimes, dropout while the patient is eating: Spots of different fizes appear on the fkin, and the colour is varioufly modified from effuftous in the cellular texture : Every flight fcratch is apt to degenerate into a foul ulcer, and old fores are apt to break out afrefh. Kemorrhagjes are now frequent from different parts of the bodv ; and though the lojfe J en the Scurvy. ty of blood has been fmall, there are inftances of the patient expiring immediately after: The belly is generally coftive, but diarrhoeas are not uncom- mon : Nothing fatisfactory is to be learned from the ftateof the pulfe, for it is often to be felt re- gular a fhort time before death. The mind in the beginning of the difeafe is timid and defponding, but towards the fatal period there is a total indif- ference and feeming torpor of every feeling. Throughout every, ftage, for the moft part, the appetite continues unimpaired ; and the patient is known frequently to expire with the bit in his mouth. I fhall now relate in what manner the fcurvy made its appearance on board of the African tra- der. About the beginning pf July 1783, the Liver- pool Guineaman, of which I was furgeon, came to anchor off Cape la Hore. No fhip had traded here for fome time, fo that in the fpace of a week we purchafed an hundred flaves. They were all young, flout, and apparently healthy. After be- ing fo far lucky in beginning our purchafe, we proceeded to Anarnaboe to complete the cargo. Oncoming to anchor at Cape CocILCsftlc, yvq. ** were 18 Obfervations were informed they were not only fcarce,but very dear, from the number of veffels then lying in the road. So flow was now the progrefs of our trade, that in February we had not bought two- thirds of our number. About this time I perceiv- ed the flaves firft purchafed growing exceedingly fat; and on that account urged to the mafter tlve neceffitypf allowing them more exercife; or re- ducing the quantity of their diet, which had hi- therto been too much, from a miftaken notion that it would ftrengthen them the more for a paf- fage to the Weft Indies. Their diet confifted of beans, rice, and Indian corn, alternately, boiled: to which was added a fufficiency.of Guinea pepper, and a fmall proportion of palm oil and common fair. A crew, which held from fourteen to fe- venteen quarts of this compofition, which was of the confiftence of a foft pafte, was given to ten of them t\vo times in the day : They were allowed to drink water at pleafure. But from being c ;>:'.- fined for fixteen hours below, and permitted no exercife when upon deck, it was eafy to forefee they could remain long in a healthy ftate. Such, however, was the obftinacy of the mafter of the veffid, that this treatment was ftill perfifted in: Thefood was given them in equal quantity, arid though on the Scurvy. 19 though a certain number might have been taken out of irons at a time without endangering the fafety of the fhip, it was not attended to. The cuf- tom of dancing them to the found of a drum, per- haps from a diflike the commander had to every fpecies of harmony, was alfo denied them till too late. It will be proper to obferve here, that thefe poor wretches are chained two and two by the wrifts and ancles : fuch as are fufpected of doing mifchief, are like wife chained to the deck during the day. The rooms below are from five to fix feet in height, according to the fize of the fhip ; and befides the number that can lie on the deck, half as many lie on a platform that runs along each fide of the fhip, raifed about two feet and a half from the floor, equal in breath to the length of a man. Here they are ftov'edfpoomvdys, as it is call- ed, and fo clofe locked in one anothers arms, that it is not poffible to tread among them." The rooms are imperfedly aired by gratings above and fmall fcuttles in the fide of the fhip, which are obliged tobefhut at fea, and the gratings areeovered with tapaulings when it blows hard or during rai- ny weather. The temperature in thefe apart- ments, when nearly full, was about ioo» of Fa- renheit's Qo Obfervatlom renheit's fcale; the effluvia is fo intolerable, that | in a few minutes you may have the condenfed va- A pour from your face in great quantity. During *t the feafon of the year that the fhip was on the coaft, there fcarce fell a fhower of rain, and the weather was not more fultry than ufual in thefe ; latitudes *. : In this fituation things remained with us till the beginning of March, no precaution being uf- J ed to fecure the health of the cargo, when a cor- pulent young Negro complained to me of a hard- nefs in the fupinator radii longus of his right arm. It had a very unufual feel, and the fkin did not retain the fmalleftimpreffion of the finger or of any force I could apply. He was ordered fome fimple thing to rub it with ; but on infpecting it next day, I found the hardnefs extend to all the muf- cles on the upper part of the fore-arm, with fome contraction at the joint of the elbow and rigidity of the tendinous aponeurosis of the biceps : The parts * From all my inquiries, I ivas not able to leam that fuch a difeafe as fcurvy ivas everfeen among the natives of Africa onfljore: but I verily believe it has occurred more frequently in Guineamen than his beenfuppofed. tn the Scurvy. 21 parts affected were not in the leaft fwelled or in- creafed in fize. And in this manner did ic gra- dually fpread up the arm to the fhoulder over the mufclcsof the neck and lower jaw, producing a trifmus ; and from thence downwards, till a fpaftic rigidity pervaded every mufcle of the body. A- bout the time this hardnefs extended fo far up as his fhoulder, a ftupor came on ; and while he re- tained the ufe of'his other hand, he continued picking ftraws from the deck as people do the bed cloath* in a ftate of delirium. The eye now be- came fixed, and the tongue lolled out at the fide of the mouth for three days before death. In this cafe the warmbath was tried, and perfifted in for fome time without effect; and when endea- vouring to force the mouth open to try another remedy, I firft found the gums exhibit the ap- pearance as in fcurvy, and feparating in black mafTes from the teeth, many of which were loofe, and the fetor of the breath intolerable. There was now little doubt that the difeafe in queftion was fcurvy, though I could by no means reconcile circumftances to any thing I had ever read or feen of it; but as I had heard of it occur- ring among Negroes where the like caufes were acting, I was the more confirmed in my opinion. It 22 Cbfcreations It was no time to think of either preventing it among the other flaves, or taking it at the begin- ning ; and as the one juft dead was remarkably fat, it was moft probable thofe in the like fituation would be fufferers. I accordingly Selected the moft corpulent ; and on examining them clofely all over, found the like hardneffes in many of their limbs. Their gums were juft beginning to fhow the appearance of fiefh fprouting out from them ; they complained of pains and weaknefTes in their extremities, and wherever they lay down were ready to fall afleep." Ulcers on any part of the body were covered with the cloated blood former ly taken notice of. Many of them, inftead of the hard fpots on their limbs, had their legs fwelled, aud pitting «n preffure : a peculiar ftupor was obferved in fome, which in the advanced ftage of the difeafe turned to delirium ; and none but one with this Symptom ever recovered. A contracti- on of the joints of the ham and elbow was equal- ly frequent. In a few, there were hemolrhagies from the ncfe, and a purging of blood *. Thefe appearances * The bltod that flowed from thefe hemorrhagies was always of a darker cotour than natural; and vt^en cold, only formed a partial ccagulum. on the Scurvy. 23 appearances were all for fome time confined to the Slaves that had been longeft on board ; and ampng them, to thofe that were moft corpulent and ufed leaft exercife. So certain was I of this, that when I faw a Negro taking on fat too rapidly, I could judge when he would be feized in the like manner. Thus it advanced among them by quick degrees, till it fhowed every different fymp- tom taken notice of by authors. When it came to affect a greater number than thofe of the firft purchafe, I could perceive the natives of fome different countries more hVoJe to it than others, Of thefe were what are called the Dunco coun- try ; of a fallow complexion, heavy dull look, inactive and gloomy turn of mind : While the Fantees, who are preferred to all other natives of Guinea on account of their, fine black'comm- and genteel fhape, were fcarcely tainted with the difeafe. Thefe, on tie contrary, are a cheer- ful lively people, and generally the firft to raife mutiny in fhips, or undertaka any hazardous en- terprife. This is a proof, that depreding paffions of the mind have a powerful effect in the production.of fcurvy. I tan by no means fuppofe the Nt gro, feeh no parting pang when he bids farewell ro his 24 Cbfervations his country, his liberty, his friends and all that is to be valued in exiftence. In the night they are often heard making a hideous moan. This hap- pens when waking from fleep, after a dream that had prefented to their imagination their home and friends. Thofe who have ever known what it is to deplore the feparation of tender tie, muft have remarked how exquifite fenfibility becomes after a divam that painted to their fancy the im- age of foaie darling object. Of all the women only eight were affected,and that number were confined to theDuncos. Few boys were tainted, from being out of irons, and allowed to run about the fnip. During all this none of the failorshad the leaft fcorbutic complaint, though they generally eat a portion of the flaves victuals with their falted beef. But they had at all times plenty of frefh vegeta- bles, which they purchafed themfelves from the natives, and which I believe was,a means of cor- recting the bad properties of the water they ufed. This water was taken from a ftagnant lake ; and fo full of animalcules, that when ftrained through a ftone, and kept for the fpace of a few hours, it again exhibited the like number of living atoms. It on the Scurvy. 25 It had like wife the effect of producing the Guinea- worm among the Negroes firft purchafed, who had no fignsof it till living on this water for fome months. Our fituation was now fo bad, that numbers were daily taken ill, and others dropping oil'; while the mafter of the vefiel, w hofe character was perfectly congenial to the trade, attributed every misfortune to the machinations of the Doctor and Devil. At the end of April, nowevcr, our purchafe wascoinpleated ; and uhen we left the coaft had buried feven or eight of the fcorbutics, from eighty to ninety were ill, and likely to add to the number. Our ftock of vegetables at depar- ture did not exceed a few gallons of lime-juice, ten or twelve dozen of oranges, and fome bafkets of guavas. * After being three or four days at fea, our lift of fcorbutics was nearly doubled ; and I fufpected much mortality from the flux' fpreading among them. My furprife was now a good deal excit- ed, on finding tvvo fluves, who had been only twels'e days on board, complained of fore gums, pains of their limbs, with fome degree of ftiffiieis in the joint of the knee; and in a few days more, tenor twelve of the laft fortnight's purchafe were D added 26 Dbfervations added to the number- I had before afcribed the difeafe to an over-proportion of food and want of exercife : and I was well allured the fcurvy had never made its appearance among Negroes on fhip-board fooner than fome months confinement; fo that in the prefent cafe, I was to look for fome other caufe. It has been often afked, If the fcur- vy is a putrid difeafe, why is it not contagious ? Some old writers have affirmed, thatitis conta- gious : but Dr. Lind tries to refute this affertioa from his own experience. Still, notwithftanding the authority of Dr. Lind, it feems probable to me, in this inftance, the fcurvy was fpread by con- tagion. When we confider futh an atmofphere as has been defcribed, where the flaves are kept, aud of fo high a temperature, tainted with the offenfive- effluvia from fo many fcorbutic lungs, can we wonder that this foul air, when breathed again, or applied to the bodies of others in a man- ner we cannot comprehend, mould be highly nox- ious? I know it will be readily allowed, that foul air notdiffufed in the atmofphere, may in a fhort time acquire fuch a degree of virulence as to pro- duce fever : but are there facts to prove, that in fuch a fituation as this it would not produce fcur- vy ? Many writers on the difeafe mention impure air. en the Scurvy4 17 zi-'y damps, &o among the remote caufes : and if the doctrine of ferments is to be at all admitted, it is as likely thofe effluvia may communicate fcur- vy, as inoculation may communicate fmall-pox, itch, or any contagious difeafe, when taken into the body. Our fmall ftockof antifcorbutics being foon con- fumed, the ftate of our cargo was left miferable indeed. The decks in every corner were covered with miferable objects, exhibiting views of dif- trefs equal to any ever recorded of this loathfome diftemper. Several were affected in a manner firnilar to the firft ; others dropped down immedi- ately on coming upon deck ; while fome expired at their victuals in full flefh and blood. After a five weeks paffage, however, we made Antigua, having buried forty by the way ; and it is proba- ble, that had we been ten days more at fea, half the cargo muft have perifhed, there being at this time three hundred tainted in different degrees with fcurvy. We had it now in our power to alleviate the diftreflesof thefe poor wretches; and as their con- finement was no longer requifite for the fafety of the fhip, they were all immediately fet at liberty. Supplies vojervations Supplies of frefh vegetables were procured from the fhore, confuting of lemons, limes, oranges, ,)ine-apples, &c. Thefe were diftributed among hem occafionally : and notwithftanding they continued their ufual diet, in the fpace of eight days, at which time we arrived at Jamaica, there was little remains of fenrvy among them. They were now fed and prepared for market ? the of- fals of beef were boiled among their victuals ; and on the week following the faleof the cargo open- ed at a very high price. I have now finifhed the hiftory of this remarka- ble difeafe a^ it occurred in a Guineaman. I fhall next examine the opinions of fome late authors concerning the proximate caufe ; and by compar- ing facts from practice, endeavour to reconcile the- ories to a more juft and accurate knowledge of its real nature than has lately been attempted. SECT. in the Scurvy. 29 SECTION II. JO ROM the hiftory of Scurvy given in the pre- ceding pages, it muft appear, that the caufes producing it are not only various, but in fome de- gree oppoiite. Such d fferent caufes, then, pro- ducing one effect in the body, muft ever make theories on this dheafe doubtful and uncertain. Notwithstanding the many improvements modern anatomifts have made in demonftrating the ftruc- ture of the human machine, every phyfiologift muft confefj. how much we are ftill in the dark con- cerning many operations in the animal cecono- my : fo that all reafoning not confident with principles eftablifhed ia practice, muft be foreign to the genuine method of cure, and confequently dangerous to be adopted. No difeafe whatever makes its appearance with fomany fyinptoms,and * fo complicated and different in. different people, as fcurvy. Throughout the v, hole of its ftages, r there is fomething fo peculiar to itfelf, that no defcriptioa 30 Obfervations defcription, however accurate, can give the rea- der an idea adequate to its real nature. From the oldeft authors that have written on, fcurvy, it has been claffed among putrid difeafes. The very nature of its production, the fet«r of the breath, cadaverous fmell of the ulcers, and bloat- ed appearance of the whole body, have acquired it this appellation. This putrefcency, till very lately, was faid to exift in the blood; and Dr. Lind, in the laft edition of kis work, is the firft who has objected to the generally received opini- on. Dr. Milman, improving on thefe hints, in a book lately publifhed, intitled, " An Inquiry into the Source from whence the fymptoms of Scurvy and putrid Fever arife," undertakes to prove the blood altogether innocent, and that its fenfible qualities are not changed. Since then, as 1 have remarked, the hints of Dr. Lind feem to have given rife to thefe new opinions; and that all the phenomena of fcurvy are to be very differently fought, and more fatisfactory account- ed for, from a diminution of the vital power in the moving folids ; I (hall proceed to examine the validity of their argument, fo far as practice is concerned. In en the Scurvy. 31 In the firft place, it is the favourite opinion of Lind, that a feaman's diet is only hurtful as being of difficult digeftion, and not from being falted. To prove the innocence of falted meats, he pro- duces experiments of fait water being drank in great quantities with impunity, and even fcorbu- tic failors ufing it without any bad effect. All this may be very true. Salt taken in this way is powerfully diluted with a quantity of water; to which in a great meafure is owing its purga- tive quality. Since then it has a purgative quali- ty, and, by remaining fo fhort a time in the in- teftinal canal, there is either fo fmall a quantity taken up by the abforbents, or what enters the circulation muft be fo much diluted with the water taken with it, that though the fait may not be capable of aflimilation with our fluids, this water may ftill prove the means of its being car- ried the eafier and fooner off by the various excretions; thus certainly fait has been taken with impunity, as we daily fee: But can we apply the like reafoning to the manner it is taken with fait beef or pork? In all accounts of the difeafe from thofe who have been converfant with it in our fbips of war, till the fmallbeer was done, and the water ferved in allowance, the fcurvv g2 Obfervations fcurvy is feldom known. So that plentiful diluti- on is of fome confequence in the prevention; and I am apt to belive the fait is hurtful, from being retained in the body. The experiments of Sir John Pringle concern- ing the antifeptic properties of feafalt, appear to me not fit to be trufted in explaining any procefs within the body; and I fhall reject them from the fame reafons as the iupporters of the other fide of the queftion. Another proof of Dr. Lind adds, to fhew that thefe provifions are not hurtful from being falted, is, That fhips crews have lived for a long time at fea, in perfect health, without the ufe of vegetables. This 1 will not deny ; but is it con- fiftent with the inferences he has elfewhere drawn ? How comes it that liiips companies living fo long on an indigeftible diet fhouid remain heal- thy ? If a feaman's food is hurtful from this qua- lity, it is very natural to fuppofe the effect would be in proportion to the time the caufes were act- ing ; which is not the cafe : for inftcad of weak and emaciated habits, he tells us they returned to port, after three or four months cruiic1, healthy and vigorous. tn the Scurvy. 33 To ftrengthen this part of their argument, Dr. Milman produces the Angular health of Captain Cook's people in an expedition to the South Seas, But to fhow this is of no weight, I would only affirm, that Captain Cook's fhips were fitted out in a very different manner from our common fhips of war; and the very caufes Milman affigns for the healthfulnefs of the crews, did moft certainly prevent the bad effects of a falted diet. Thefe1 hips carried a much greater proportion of water 0 fea than commonly done ; this was alfo often enewed : when in port, he provided them not inly with ftock in abundance, but always procur- d them as many frefh fruits and vegetables as hey could well carry with them. Thus the curvy was fo little known in thefe fhips. But ad Dr Milman confidered how impofnble it v'ould be, and how inconfiftent with the nature four marine fervice to>fit out every fhip of war .1 that manner, he would not be furprifed to find he fcurvy fo frequent on board of his Majefty's aips while the feamen live on falted provifions. Lind's notions, that an animal body cannot iflimilate fea-falt, feem to me equally inconclu- Ive. Though he took this fait unchanged from he urine of fcorbutics yet he draws no co/npari- E fnn 34 Obfervatiens fon between the quantity taken in and that re- covered : and as it is faid, that in fcurvy there is a preternatural faline ftate of the blood prefent; and confequently fo loaded already with an ani- mal fait, that it may not be able to affimilate more ; can we then be furprifed to find the fear fait pafs off uuchanged by the kidneys? But I doubt much if the common fait has been recover- ed fo pure as has been alledged; and, if we are to truft fome late chemical trials, it was found to be rather of the ammoniacal kind : aud whether this •will be admitted or not, till future experiment determine, I would reject the conclufions Dr. Lind draws. But further, concerning this par- ticular, Dr Cullin fays; " Even fuppofing fuch fait to fuffer " no change in the animal body, the " effects of it may be confiderable.'' This muft be readly allowed, though we fhouid not be abl§ to account for its operations* But to prove beyond all doubt, that thefe provifions are hurtful from being falted, I will produce Lind's own words; and which plainly ihow, conclufions he has elfewhere drawn are by no means to be trufted on this fubject. Nothing but the fake of truth could me make thus impeach the on the Scurvy. 35 the accuracy of the learned author. " There are " not wanting," fays he," inftances of the good ef- " fects attending this method of putting the fliip's " company, in long voyages, upon a very fhort " allowance of falted meats. The following is "too much to the purpofe to be omitted, as it " feems to demonftrate the utility of the meafure "by a comparative trial at different times of its « effects. " In a former war, the men belonging to the " Sheernefs, bound to the Eaft-Indies, apprehen- " five of ficknefs in fo long a voyage, petitioned " their captain not to oblige them to take up their " fait provifions, but rather to permit them to " live on the other fpecies of allowance. Captain " Pallifer ordered that they fhouid be ferved with " falted meat only once a week, viz. beef one " week, and pork the other. The confequence " was,, that after a paffage of five months and a " day, the Sheernefs arrived at the Cape of Good " Hope without having fo much as one man fick " on board. As the ufe of Sutton's pipes had " been then newly introduced into the king's " fhips, the captain was willing to afcribe part of " fuch anunufual and remarkable healthfulnefs in "fo 3 6 Obfervatkns " fo long a run to their beneficial effects; but it " was foon difcovercd, that by the neglect of the " carpenter the cock of the pipes had been kept .1 "all this while fhut. This fhip remained in " India fome months, where none of the men,ex- "cepting the boats crews, had the benefit of go- i "ingon fhore; notwithftanding which, the crew <■• continued to enjoy the moft perfect ftate of "health. They were indeed well fupphed with '/frefh meat. j "On leaving that country, knowing they the fkin would come off, attended with heat and inflammation. In the joints alio was found a greenifhliqucr, which by the kme quality even corroded the ligaments. Had Dr. Lind tailed a fluid of this nature, I v. ill venv-c to affirm it would have left an imprefficn on Lis pkte very different from ir.-Vd. T:ie h:tt Dr Ycung, in his celebrated Thc.V. on Milk, remarks. That if an animal feeds on a . y roe table diet, the milk will be faccharine and a- ( cefcc.it; if upon animal, 1.0 fugar will rrpear *«.) th.at (laid, but on the contrary it will be putre- , fccr.t. Or. cv.v rz&rz from Africa to the Wet Ir.e'es, in ihs Scur.y. 45 indie-:, a Negro woman giving fuck, bcp-an to Lcmphhi of fpongy gums and fome other fymp- toms of fcurvy. It would have rlcafcd me much to examine the fhte of the milk in the advanced fb.ge of thi- difeafe ; but i\\z arrival of the fhip at Antigua prevented me from putting the matter to a final t:.. rrimeril. Although it wou'd be impoffirle to demon- ftrate that o-jr fluids are in a ftate of actcul putre- faction, I fee no reafon why we fhculd not retain the term while the remote ccmfos account for it. It appears perfectly conf.iteiit with cur ideas of an animal body, that by living for a long time en a ffeffi dice, our fluids may acquire a tendency to putridity.. We know that the animal procefs can affmaiai.j all vegetable food; but we know no power in cur bodies to cxzrzoT.e the too great quantity of amma] diet, unlefs by a due fupply of fr-ih vegetable',. The following; msra'marh. elfe- where emoted, is fo perfectly ctmiiftent, that I fm.il mat hefitate to make ufe of it: "All our "fluidshave a natural tendency to putrefaction ; '''in order that they may he prcLrved from, a ''mcrrr-.d putrelcejm'?, thtre muft be a continual ^renewal m them by frefh ch« )e. and an exrul- << fion 46 ObfervaticHt " fion of thofe particles in which corruption is be- " ginning. If there be not fuch a conftant accefil- " on of frefh food, our fluids foon follow their own 11 nature ? and, as an addition to the evil, this " want of nourifhment muft deprive the confh tu- " tion of that degree of plethora which is requifite ".for carrying on the fecretions and excretions. " Hence thofe parts of the blood which were de- generating into putrefaction, inftead of being "expelled by fome of the emunctories, will be "accumulated; and, like a leaven, foon fprcad "their influence through the whole putrescent "mafs*." Experiments made on the blood out of the body are never to be admitted in explaining this wonderful fecret of the animal ceconomy ; for we- neither know on what depends the coagulation of our blood, or what effects certain properties of the air may have in retarding the putrefactive fermentation of the vital fluid when drawn from its veffels. This is illuftrated from feveral excre- tions being really more fetid when firft feparated from the body, than they ever come to be after expofure to the atmofphere, &c. Whin * Milman, Und. Trinf Vol II. en the Scurvy* 4f- When we take a furvey of the caufes of fcurvy, and how feldom it has appeared unlefs where the diet was in fault, and the few folitary cafes relat- ed of it occurring where plenty of frefh vegetables were ofed, with moderate exercife, we can the Jefs admit the conclufion of Dr. Milman. That ' there is a great debility prefent with the difeafe, is not to be denied; but of fo peculiar a kind, that nothing feems analogous to it. In proof of this, I need only mention how little advantage has been gained by the ufe of the cold bath, mineral acids, and the celebrated Peruvian bark; the lat- ter of which I have given at the rate of an ounce to eighteen drams in a day, but never obferved much good from it in a real fcorbutic ulcer: whereas, in the fpace of twenty-four hours after the ufe of a fmall quantity of lemons or oranges, the fore has put on a healthy appearance; and it is well known in practice, how rapidly fome large fcorbutic ulcers will heal when the patient comes 1 to live on frefli vegetables. What Milman has faid on the hofpital broths S with regard to the cure, will aot at all ferve his theory; for a nutritious food is not effential to the Cure of fcurvy. Thefe broths, when ferved to fcorbutic 4 8 Obfrvathns fcorbutic patients, are full of greens and other vegetables in feafon, which of themfelves are fiifii- cient to overcome the difeafe; unlefs the hah'c previous to the attack of fcurvy was in a weak- ened ftate, or if it came to be lh as the diforder advanced, this nutritious compofuion will only then be neceffary to the cure. The fcurvy in nu- merous inftances, has been cured on /hip-board, where ncthincr but the common Ciculent ve/reta- bles acefcent and fruits were ufed; as in the fol- lowin r. About the end of May 178o,tiie Berwick of 74 guns, failed for the Weft Indies, in a fquad- f on under the command of the brave and unfor- tunate'Commodore Walfingham, whoperi/hed in the Thunderer in the memorable hurricane off Bermuda the October following. On the third week frem our leaving England, fome of the men be at prefent fupplied with elixir of vitriol, four krout, and effence of wort. The firft of thefe, recom- mended by the late Dr. Hu\.ham has been a long time ufed ; and it feems to have been introduced to practice from that delire for acids congenial to the difeafe. But we are ftill left to doubt of any effects the elixir of vitriol poirefTes in the cure of fcurvy. And, indeed, while* we hold fome fault of the blood to be the proximate caufe, the difappointment need not excite our wonder, fince it is incapable of being converted into animal fluids. Had that debility of the digeftive powers been prefent, which Dr. Milman alleges, from the confent the ftomach has with the reft of the fyftem, it muft have been a powerful medicine. The fame reafoning may be applied to our difap- pointment of the effects of the cortex Ptruvianus : If the patient at the attack of fcurvy was fiek or convalefcent, bark, as being the moft powerful tonic on the Scurvy'* 65 tonic, has always been joined with what are called mtifcorbulics; andin thefe alone, it- feems to have been given with fuccefs. The cortex given by itfelf, frotn the authority of all practitioners, has never done much here; which is to be imputed to its exerting its powers on the nerves of the ftomach, and not in the circulation. Our fhips of war were firft fupplied, with four krout from the recommendation of Dr. Lind> after the fafhion of the Dutch navy. But if it had poffeffed any great antifcorbutk properties, our fhips have riever been fupplied with it in quantities equal to the purpofe. And I am apt to believe there is very little of that quality in this preparation of cabbage which we value for the prevention or cure of fcurvy. On opening the krout, art effluvia flies off, which is fo intolerable as to fmell fetid and difagreeable at many yards diftance : a proof that it has partly undergone the putrefactive fer- mentation ; befides, it may be hurtful from the fait it contains : and I apprehend it would be ad- vantageoufly fuperfededby fome other preparati- ons hereafter to be mentioned. The effence of wort and infufion of malt, among the hit of antifcorbutics, are indebted to the inge- I ' nioui 64 vbfervationt nious Dr. Macbride for the praife that has been beftowed on them. Perhaps their virtues are more to be trufted in the prevention than cure of fcurvy; and for both they fall fhort of the inten- tion of the benevolent author. Captain Cook: found the effence of wort unable to cure the ad- vanced ftage of fcurvy ; which was alfo confirmed from trial by Dr. John Clarke when furgeon to the Talbot Eaft Indiaman. Our fhips of war are nowfupplied with it at a very great expence ; and when ferved to the failors, they are deprived of their grog or wine, if the beer is done": a circum- ftance not favourable to its being duly taken. I have repeatedly feen the wort given in great quantities ; and' though it feemingly retarded the progrefs of the difeafe, I doubt much if it deferve halfthe applaufe that has been beftowed ou it to accomplifh a cure. To the laft mentioned articles comes next in rotation the celebrated aerial acid. But notwith- ftandingtheboafted effects of fixed air in the cure of fcurvy, it is highly probable they are ftill greater in fpeculation than practice. Perhaps no medicine •whatever was ufheredinto repute under the fanc- tion of fuch repeated plaudits as the aerial acid ; and ifome of its abettors have even gone fo far as to hazard •« fhe Scurvy. fy hizard probability in its praife, in applying it to the cure of fuch numerous diforders. Several in- || ftances are given of its producing a cure of fcurvy on fhore: but we are well informed what kind of '4 diet and regimen was ordered to the patient at the fame time: and authors are too apt, on certain occafions, to attribute to a favourite medicine, in 1 thefe circumftances, what really had no fhare in producing the effect. The power it poffeffes of fweetening frefii water is fofar in its favour ; but if we are to truft to fixed air at fea, and forget \ other precautions, I fufpect fo dangerous a miftake may be productive of the worft confequences. Whatever experiments are made out of the body to afcertain the antifecptic qualities cf this acid, are as little to be trufted in practice as -all •others-: Bur while fo many have extolled the virtues of this ( , antifcorbutic, our fea-furgeons have been filent on the fubject. It is moft likely fo fimple a relief, ^ and one that can be commanded on all occafions, has not anfwered the eulogiums conferred on it, E otherwife we muft have heard of its fuccefs. In I all the trials I have make of it, I was fo early d.'appointed, as to lay it afide altogether; and P from all the inquiries I have made among my ac- I quaint ance, 6t Cbfervations quaintance, this has been the refult of the ufe of* (3 fixed air in the navy. During the late war a remedy has been made ' ufe of, called th: earth bath. A hole -is dug in the earth, and the patient is covered up to the chin, where he remains for the fpace of half an hour. This hint was taken from failors burying their limbs in the fand when fent on fhore for the benefit of air and exercife. For the contraction ofthehamit has been particularly recommend- ed ; but when tried without the ufe of vegetables at the fame time, it has only amufed. Having now fhown, that the prefent method of fupplying our fhips of war with preventative; qgainft the fcurvy is not to be trufted on all occa- fions, it remains for me to recommend fome that are likely to prove effectual. In the firft place, it is much to be wifhed that the commanders of his majefty's fhirs, on a man of war going to fea, and till fhe returns to port," fhouid order the allowance of beef and pork to be diminifhed. The good effects of this cuftom are too well known to be further infifled on. An officer, with a furgeon's mate, ought to infpeet the mixing of the bargou every morning/taking care en the Scurvy* 69 care th-t a ffufficient quantity .rouffes is added to make it palatable. The want of this neceffary piece of attention has, I believe, been the chief caufe why fo little of this part of a lea-diet has been made ufe of; and befides its containing a large proportion of vegetable matter, the quan- tity of water taken with it maybe of fome confe- quence. To correct a falted diet, inffead of four krout, I would recommend pickles of onions, red cab- bages, cucumbers,'^ ; thefe, as cofting the failorj no trouble in preparing, and as being favory when taken with fait beef and pork, are likely to be ufed with plcafure. Another valuable article I could wifh to fee introduced as a part of our fea- mens diet on certain ftations is, goofeberries, pre- ferved in the fame manner as for culinary peu- pofes. Half a pound of thefe berries, ferved two or three times a-week and on beef days isamea- fnre likely to have fome effect. If thefe berries are gathered about the end of June before they grow fwe'et, and properly prepared afterwards, they may keep for years in any climate, while the expence is too trivial to be confidered for fo valu- uLdc a purpofe. T« fo Cbfervations To add ftill further to this part of a feaman's diet, it would certainly be a moft eligible method to convert the grog into punch. This can always be eafily accompiifhed, by coarfe fugar and lemon. juice, or cream of tartar. Grog is never ferved to a fhip's company till the beer is drunk out, by which time the water is generally in fhort allow- ance, and often putrid, which loudly calls for the propriety of fuch alteration. Although the juice of lemons and limes is fo well known a remedy in fcurvy, it is ftill doubted if any preparation we can carry to fea preferves their virtues entire. Captain Cook found the in- fpiffated juice, as procured by evaporation, and recommended by Dr Lind, of little or no efficacy in the cure of this difeafe. But I verily believe this may be accounted for: befides the water car- ried off by vapour from this preparation, we knovr not what other changes it may ur.dergoby heat; and it likely by that means lofes what we would moft value it for. It remains therefore for us to find a method of preferving the fruits, or their juice, as nearly as poffible to their native ftate. For this purpofe, hating fqueezed a fuffitient number of lemons, I ftrained the jnice through a linen $n the Scurvy. 7 \ a linen cloth, and put it into quart bottles, cover- ing it with a little olive oil; then corking the bottles fecurcly fo as perfectly to exclude the air. It was fet in a cool place of the fhip ; and after fourteen months keeping on the coaft of Africa, was given to fome fcorbutic flaves with the fame fuocefs as frefli limes: its acid tefte was perfectly entire; and punch made for it was not diftinguifh- ed from the new lemon. So that difficulties in preferving this juice of any lenth of time are very frivolous; And perhaps thofe who have the im- mediate direction of the victualing our navy, may one day think fuch a plan no inconfiderable addi- tion to the prefervation of the health of our fea- men in long voyages. When our fhips are ftationcd in tropical coun- tries, they may at all times command thefe. fruits for a trifle ; and when we confder how eafily they may be procured, we may well wonder our feamen have not been liberally fupplied with them at the expence of government. The bifcuit in thefe lati- tudes foon fpoils, and become; full of maggots and ■weevils, which certainly render it unwholefome: and would not this bread be well fuperfeded by frefh plantains and yams, wich are by many pre- ferred y1 Qbfervnthns ferred even te» new bread in the Weft Indie?. Thefe articles would not coft above half the expence that the bifcuit does in England ; and they would be of the more importance, as meals of frcfii beef are feldom or never met with in the Weft Indies on board of our fhips of war. The influence of cold and moifture, as already mentioned, feems to deferve lefs attention than has been beftowed on them; as it has made us look for affiftance in the prevention of fcurvy from methods incompatible with the duty and life of a failor : it will, however, be always prudent to avoid them if poTible. Had Dr Milman fearched for the caufe' why petty officers are lefs fubjeft to fcurvy than the feamen, he would have found it much more owing to a difference of diet than any other mode of living whatfoever. People recovering from fickuefs-on board of a fliip ought not to ufe the common fea fare till fairly re-eftablifhed in health. The quantity of portable fonp given to each, fdp has always been a fufficicnt allowance; and if a fmall proportion of barley, fhallc>ts,orgarl'c, asfupplied among the furgeon's necefiaries, i added, they can always have a com- fortable iuUiit^ are. In addition to thefe articles of on the Scurvy. f 3 . of die; for fcorbutics aid coavatefcents, I would b r leave to recommend a mef» o;' ihiturnery, or foMsns, a it is c ill J in Scotland, where it ismoil ufed. It is nude of oic-ai;al, wa ell, with \fcater, uilerg >ej a flight degree of fer:neuter.on ; it .r then trained, an 1 boiled to a certain confluence, fVrring it all the while- By mixing with this* prepar-icioti a fiinll q iaulcy of win' an J tujar, or nulafijj, it eaii oe .11 ide a di.a fit for the moft delic.ue palates. During the late war, fo-.\eii3 hive been fafafo.nble in mmy of our fhips; and fj-.ns of the mat dift.aguiaied commanders, as in e:c.unpla to the men, have cenftantly ui'ed thru fjr a ;ea fu aper. if the manner of prep tr ~t taenia thi; w^/ on hoard of a fhip mould ue d.figreeatile, o.fi.er, and ota?rs may have them mad.- oa fhore, and put up ia a portable for.i.. Whea the g-oa-Lr part, of the oat-ilu ai are fep.»r.;- ted, tile ffae fari.u falls to the bottom of the veii'di, fro n wlrea ihe water may be evaporated. Ai I fj-iUi 1 i.na c.he$, which rant be p.cteivei ja eio.j oil;;, and krat dry. 'i'oapouud of this prenr-Jtiai m,/ b3 added three or four times as «,a 1.1 vv^.r, uad boiled to the confidence of J.il/. K A par- 7.t ■Cbri!Vj;i'-:,-ii i .*. ^art'cvffar c: re r the Tevcr.t'on of fcrrv_* .'• to be t:'- a :n :v:r tra".■' orts carr lr:g trunj :'br::n,-l; and they ought tu 1 e v. el; -rovt'ed with e err rrt'tle for thr.t; rr cfc. '.:.'■ ittrrnrr: v. '"Tarv, ace thefe vefffcls ^re always r itch cro^'- ded, n flfy, and ill u'rrd; but v. hat is fill aclcl'ng 4nc\-? t.j tV-* i;--o-pp.~ ■ of thefr precaution.-, is, that th? raw iel...iers, 1 ino- nuaarfh:"••: ci n> fea ; r; f-a ' r rs from a Liue d .t. '1 hi is fa •.];,- j roved, fro a the aiortalit/ a-.r.cmg t: oops o:, board of tranf- r.ort fa'po, lying for a lv.cr time bef -re be'>gcd r;arrifL»ns, a..: hi long x>:.~-~~* to our different iett!e:r.ents. I f.all r.".v conch'de, <. 'a effcrirg forra r" a.rks on the means cf preventing fcurvy a.nar.'T the 'IVegrocs en bead cf the African. r..;rehantinen. ' Tv.f r off knowingin i''",c tfde ere 3- ore cf ].e r much confrqueme it is to corihte thr'r purehafef as foon as. po i !e; t!'rref(rr a flip to crrr ■• froai three :.o feur hundred flavesmuft ! c prea-rau!e to c> v larger, as .!d.'$ endi-ngn lr<>; the I. .'diof the cargo from lying tro leng on tie i ft with the r.Vrroes en 1 : ; rd. 'i he .ilet ought te ta I e rather 'pare than other v. ife ; at on the Scurvy. j$ leaf: to tho'e who are in good condition. Ships in the road at the time we were purchafing our; cargo had their fluves as lo.ig on board; but by ri/iog them lefs viftuals, preferred them healthy a ;J free from feurvy. l his fpare diet fhouid be c:-tinned till they are about to leave the coaft, when it may be Inereafed ; and the utmoft atten- tion is to be paid to its quality. The corn room* are to be frequently infpefted, and kept as airy as pofahb. The corn, during the day, ought to be carried upon deck, to prevent its growing damp and mouldy. Guinea pepper may be mix- ed with their food in any quantity; it is the natu- ral condiment of this kind of food, and may obvi- ate a number of complaints, fuch as gripes, purg- ings, &c which are oftener owing to diet tnani any other caufe. Palm oil is alfo ufed in great quantities by the inhabitants of Guinea; and as being nearer of an animal nature, is of infinite fer- vice to affimilate all vegetable food. The fruits of the climate, whenever they can be procured, or^-ht to be freely dlftributed among them *. Cf how * When a fi'p i'.ivts the co fr,fhe ought to be w»ll pr-dd^dw'th all the fruits in feafon. The p fftige •fa Galncum.in to the Weft Indies is feldom fo long, 7 6 Cbftrvations ho*.V -rs'ich confecp ence due exercife is in prefert- inr a health/ ca.vo of flaves the want of it ha« duly fhawn. There fhouid therefore be no more of theai ia iroas than the abfolute fafety of the (hip requires; and th^ whole of them are to Ls d meed on the deck to the found of a drum, of whieh they are very fond, for an hour twice irt the day. Small windfalls ought to be ufed ior the better airing of the rooms; and by trimming them to the wind occafionally, they will be of more fervice than air pots, which are always ihut at fea, when there is moft need of them. Clean- linefs is another object, and of no lefs importance : the rooms o lght to be well wafhed twice a-week, and well dried with fires, and the flaves fhouid be alf/ordered to ke-p their fkms clean, by wafbing them (elves as they come upon deck in the morn- ing: aad if all thefe precautions are duly attend- ed to, tills fatal dlfvafe will feldom be met with in a Guineaman. tut limes and or urges may ba prefn ved all the way, but if there is da ger of them fpoWing, the juice can bep'-efrrvrd, as formerly direcled. There are many inftances of flips in this trade, where, frem featcity cf -WtJer in unavoidable long p f/cges, the fcurry proved deft ruclive to theflavts, when a few cufks of itme juice might huvefaved the m. i>uch was tie cade cf the Molly, Kendul/as I have been informed by A'ir. Grogun,aningeni»usmzdicalg.niUman tbtmn the.if. m * Med. 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