preceding, that there had been a great increase of fevers and fluxes,
particularly of the latter. The fevers prevailed chiefly in the ships
lately from England, especially the Fame and Conqueror. In the Duke
there were a great number ill of fevers; but this ship not having
arrived from England till after the first of the month, is not included
in the calculation. The fluxes were most prevalent in the ships we
found on the station, particularly the Canada, Resolution, and Nymph
frigate. The scurvy had increased very little, but prevailed most in
the ships we found here. The only ships of the new squadron that had
this disease to a considerable degree, were the Conqueror and Nonsuch.
The former had indeed a good many ill of it; but the return having
been made in an imperfect manner, this ship is not included in the
calculation.
But the ships that were by far the most healthy were those that had
been the longest from England, the Ajax, Russel, Montague, Royal Oak,
and Prudent. There had been formerly a great mortality in all these
ships; and it would appear that this uncommon degree of health was
owing, in some measure at least, to this circumstance, that the most
weakly had been swept off by the different distempers to which they
were exposed; so that only the more hardy and robust had survived.
Under the head of “Other Complaints,” a much smaller number were put on
the list, and still fewer died, in this than the preceding month. This
difference is owing to the number that died of wounds last month.
There died on board, in the course of this month, thirteen of fevers,
seven of fluxes, and seven of other complaints, of whom five died
of small pox, one of asthma, and one of wounds he received at St.
Christopher’s.
In order to show more fully and minutely what are the complaints
incident to fleets in this climate, I shall set down a list of the
numbers taken ill of the different diseases and accidents during this
month, extracted from the returns of twenty-eight ships of the line,
and two frigates.
Fevers 806
Fluxes 463
Scurvy 130
Ulcers 129
Small pox 49
Pectoral complaints 40
Venereal complaints 32
Colds 30
Rheumatism 18
Angina 10
Gravel 3
Dropsy 1
Ophthalmia 1
Leprosy 1
Fistula in ano 3
Hernia humoralis 1
Abscess 1
Fractures 3
Various slight
accidents, as
bruises, cuts,
scalds, &c. 163
----
Total 1884
The number of ulcers bears here a smaller proportion to the whole than
it does in general to the sum total of the sick list; for being the
most tedious of all complaints, they consequently accumulate more than
any other. Thus many of the cases now set down as slight accidents,
will, in the ensuing month, be in the state of obstinate ulcers.
Most of the diseases of one hot climate resemble those of another,
so far as I know; but there is one disease which we hear of as being
extremely prevalent all over the East Indies, which is hardly ever met
with in the tropical regions of the West. This is the inflammation
of the liver, of which I remember to have seen only one well-marked
case, and it was that of a gentleman who had been in the East Indies,
and had been subject to it there: nor do I recollect more than one,
or at most two, cases of this sort out of several thousand cases of
various diseases that were reported to me. This is either owing to the
greater heat and dryness of the air in the East Indies, or some other
peculiarity with which we are not acquainted[12].
Every other inflammatory complaint exists more or less, though they are
much rarer than in cold and temperate climates. The phthisis pulmonalis
is not so common as in cold climates, but proves sooner fatal to most
constitutions. There are certain pulmonic complaints, particularly
those of the asthmatic kind, to which the climate of the West Indies
is remarkably favourable; but those in which there are tubercles and
ulceration seem to be hurried faster to a fatal termination. The
climates, from the thirtieth to the fortieth degree of latitude, seem
to be best suited to consumptive complaints. The rheumatisms that occur
in hot climates are mostly of the chronic kind.
CHAP. III.
State of Health of the Fleet in April 1782----Battles on the 9th and
12th--The Fleet very healthy--from the Quality of Provisions--from the
Effects of Victory--Advantages of close Action--What Diseases most
prevalent--Extraordinary Degree of Health in the Formidable.
This month being interesting, on account of the memorable engagements
that happened in it, the remarks shall, for this reason, be somewhat
more full and particular.
Three ships of the line having been sent to protect convoys to Jamaica,
and one having been sent to protect a convoy to Barbadoes, there
remained thirty-six at St. Lucia in the beginning of this month. By
the end of the first week their damages were repaired, their water and
provisions complete, and the sick in a great measure recovered.
An equal force of the enemy lay over against us at Martinico, the
two powers of Britain and France being to make this distant quarter
of the world the theatre for trying their strength, and deciding the
sovereignty of the seas. In the view of this great event, our commander
forwarded the necessary duties of the fleet with such zeal and
diligence, and watched the motions of the enemy with such vigilance,
that he overtook their grand squadron a few hours after they left their
own port, and engaged them two several days, with a success, glorious
and complete.
Nothing had been wanting to equip this fleet for the great and decisive
exertion it was to make. Every ship, except two, might be said to
be healthy, most of them were complete in men, well appointed with
officers, and well found in stores and provisions.--Conformable to this
was the eagerness, the confidence, and resolution, which led them to
success and victory.
After this battle, the whole fleet, with the prizes, bore away for
Jamaica, where part of it arrived on the last days of April, but the
greater part of it kept the sea, till after the middle of May.
As this month is more than usually interesting, the tables are given at
full length, and a column is added for the wounded.
The sum total, of the numbers of the men on board of the thirty-six
ships that composed the line of battle on the 12th of April, was
21,608, and the mortality during the month, exclusive of those who were
killed or died of wounds, was one in 862.
There was less sickness, and less death, from disease in this month,
than any of the former twenty-three months, in which I kept records of
the fleet, and less than in any subsequent month, till the fleet got to
the coast of America.
To account for this, it is to be observed, that the men had not
been exposed to the noxious air of the shore in watering, as in the
preceding month: they had received from England a fresh supply of
provisions, among which was sour krout, melasses, and essence of malt,
all in addition to the ordinary articles of victualling: many of the
ships were supplied with wine, in place of rum, and as the weather was
all along dry and fine, the men suffered the less from the exposure and
want of sleep, which are the necessary consequences of keeping ships
clear for battle for several days and nights together.
TABLE V.
ABSTRACT of the RETURNS for APRIL, 1782.
Key:
F Sick on board on the 1st of the Month.
M Put on the List during the Month.
D Dead.
H Sent to the Hospital.
+----------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SHIPS’ | FEVER. | FLUX. |
| NAMES +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | F | M | D | H | F | M | D | H |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Formidable | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Barfleur | 6 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Prince George | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Duke | 57 | 78 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Namur | 5 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Royal Oak | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 3 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Alfred | 8 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Montagu | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Valiant | § | 10 | 1 | 0 | § | 0 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Monarch | 5 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Warrior | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Centaur | 12 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 1 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Magnificent | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Bedford | 11 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Ajax | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Canada | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 70 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Resolution | 19 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Hercules | 2 | 38 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Russel | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Fame | 36 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Torbay | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Princessa | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Conqueror | 30 | § | 1 | 11 | 0 | § | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Arrogant | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Marlborough | 7 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Yarmouth | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Belliqueux | 43 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Prince William | 4 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Repulse | 20 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| St. Albans | 1 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Agamemnon | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Prothée | 6 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| America | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Anson | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Nonsuch | 6 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Alcide | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Ramillies | § | 26 | 1 | 4 | § | 6 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Nymph | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Flora | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Total | 312 | 743 | 15 | 65 | 195 | 516 | 7 | 19 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
+----------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SHIPS’ | SCURVY. | WOUNDS. |
| NAMES +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | F | M | D | H | F | M | D | H |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Formidable | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Barfleur | 6 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 8 | 6 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Prince George | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Duke | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Namur | 8 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Royal Oak | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 5 | 15 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Alfred | 15 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Montagu | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Valiant | § | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Monarch | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 1 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Warrior | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Centaur | 5 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Magnificent | 7 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Bedford | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Ajax | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 5 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Canada | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Resolution | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Hercules | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Russel | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 3 | 1 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Fame | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Torbay | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Princessa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Conqueror | 10 | § | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Arrogant | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Marlborough | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Yarmouth | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Belliqueux | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Prince William | 5 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Repulse | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| St. Albans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Agamemnon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 7 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Prothée | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| America | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 2 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Anson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| * Nonsuch | 18 | 25 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Alcide | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Ramillies | § | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Nymph | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Flora | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Total | 103 | 208 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 810 | 60 | 32 |
+----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
N. B. The Ships marked thus, *, came from England in February and
March, 1782.
All the Ships named in the Table were in the Engagements in April,
except the Ramillies and the two Frigates.
In the Spaces marked thus, §, no Return was made.
Might not this extraordinary degree of health have also been owing,
in part, to the effects of success upon the spirits of the men? It
is related[13], that, when the fleet under Admiral Matthews was off
Toulon, in daily expectation for some time of engaging the combined
fleet of France and Spain, there was a general stop put to the progress
of disease, particularly of the scurvy, from the influence of that
generous flow of spirits, with which the prospect of battle inspires
British seamen. But if the mere expectation and ardour of a battle,
without any happy event, could have such a sensible effect, what must
have been the effect of the exultation of VICTORY, a victory in which
the naval glory of our country was revived and retrieved, after a
series of misfortunes and disgraces, which had well nigh extinguished
the national pride in every department of service! The plain and
honest, though unthinking seaman, is not less affected by this than
the more enlightened lover of his country. Even the invalids at the
hospital demonstrated their joy, upon hearing of this victory, by
hoisting shreds of coloured cloth on their crutches.
It would appear, that there is something in situations of exertion and
danger, which infuses a sort of preternatural vigour. When the mind is
interested and agitated by active and generous affections, the body
forgets its wants and feelings, and is capable of a degree of labour
and exertion, which it could not undergo in cold blood. The quantity of
muscular action employed in fighting at a great gun for a few hours, is
perhaps more that what is commonly employed in a week in the ordinary
course of life, and though performed in the midst of heat and smoke,
and generally with the want of food and drink, yet the powers of nature
are not exhausted nor overstrained; even the smart of wounds is not
felt; and the future health of those who survive unhurt by external
violence is so far from being injured, that it is sometimes mended by
this violent, but salutary agitation.
The loss in action, and the number of mortal wounds, were not so great
as might have been expected in a battle continued for a whole day.
This advantage was owing to the superiority of our fire, as well as to
the closeness of the fight, of which the Commander in Chief set the
illustrious example, by penetrating the enemy’s line with his own ship;
a bold and singular effort which first decided the event of the day.
When ships in action are opposed to each other at a small distance,
the velocity of cannon balls is so great, that in penetrating a ship’s
side, few or no splinters are torn off; and by these more men are
commonly killed and wounded, than by the ball itself. For the same
reason, a close shot does less damage also to the ship itself, than
a distant one; for a quick-flying ball makes an aperture less than
its own diameter, whereas a spent one produces innumerable deadly
splinters, at the same time shivering the object it strikes, and making
wide and extensive rents in it. The proportion of the wounded to the
killed, is also greater in distant, than in close fight, on account of
the great number of small splinters; and we have an experimental proof
of this, in comparing the action in Fort Royal Bay in April 1781, with
this near Dominica in April 1782. In the former, the enemy having kept
far to windward, and engaged at a great distance, the proportion of
the wounded to the killed was considerably more than four to one[14];
whereas in the latter, where the greater part of the battle was close,
the proportion of the wounded to the killed, was little more than three
to one[15].
Though it is a remark not belonging to a medical work, yet it may be
observed, that the greatest advantage that arose to us from close
action was, that the fire of the enemy was thereby silenced; for the
advantages would be mutual and equal, on the supposition, that the
French, in such a situation, were to keep the deck, and stand to their
guns equally well with the British seamen.
It appears, by examining the table, that the ships in which the fevers
chiefly prevailed this month, were those that came last from England,
and that those in which the fluxes prevailed most were chiefly of the
squadron we found on the station, namely, the Canada, Resolution, and
Prince William. The latter however recovered greatly in the course of
this month. Some of the Ships that arrived last from England, namely,
the Arrogant, Prothée, and Anson, were also considerably afflicted with
fluxes, but they were of an extremely mild kind; and the small number
of deaths from this disease in comparison with those from fevers, is a
proof of a former observation, that this is the safest form in which
an acute disease can shew itself. This small degree of mortality was
also owing to the judicious method of treating it which was in general
practised throughout the fleet; and it is but justice to the medical
gentlemen to say, that they shewed on this, as well as every other
occasion, great skill and attention in the treatment of the sick and
wounded.
The sum total of fevers and fluxes that have been put on the list
this month, is much the same as that of the preceding month; but the
proportion of fluxes in April is much greater.
The proportion of scurvy is somewhat increased; which is not to be
wondered at, when it is considered, that though the fleet had not
been so long at sea as is necessary to produce it, especially in this
climate, yet the men having had no refreshments when last in port, may
be considered as having been all that time at sea.
The superior degree of health in this month will appear in a still
stronger light, if we cast our eye on the column expressing the number
sent to the hospital, the proportion of which is, comparatively, very
small.
The ships that had been the longest from England, were still among the
most healthy. But of all the fleet, none was so free from sickness
and mortality as the Formidable. No man belonging to this ship died
of disease for the first four months after sailing from Plymouth,
though there were at times 900 men on board, and never less than the
established complement, which is 750; and so few were taken sick
in that time, that only thirteen were sent to hospitals, and their
complaints were small-pox and ulcers.
This ship left England provided with every thing that could be supposed
to conduce to the health of men, and may be considered as an experiment
to prove what degree of health may be attained by proper management and
attention. She was furnished not only with abundance of sour krout,
melasses, and essence of malt, in common with the other ships; but what
was peculiar to her, was an entire supply of excellent wine, in place
of spirits, of which none was used during the period mentioned.
CHAP. IV.
Account of the HEALTH of the FLEET while it lay at Jamaica during
May, June, and Part of July, 1782.----French Prizes Causes of
Sickness--Their Difference from the English in point of Cleanliness
and Discipline--Bad Effects of Land Wind and Watering Duty--Situation
of Port Royal--Season uncommonly dry and windy--Fluxes more prevalent
at Sea than in Harbour--Comparison of the Sickness at this Time with
that of the Army and with that of the Squadron under Admiral Vernon
forty-one Years before--Effects of Contagion and foul Air--Officers
more affected than the common Men.
All the squadron that was left to windward of Jamaica, consisting of
twenty-four ships of the line, kept the sea during great part of May,
the last division of it not having come to Port Royal till the 25th of
that month.
The whole fleet remained in harbour during the remainder of the month,
and the whole of the next, except the Warrior, Prothée, and Russell;
the two former were sent on a cruise, in which the Warrior continued
quite healthy, as she had been ever since her arrival from England; and
in the Prothée a great check was given to the fevers and fluxes which
had begun to prevail at Port Royal. The Russell was sent to England
with a convoy.
TABLE, shewing the proportional Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in
May.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill or |
| wounded in the Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of those that died in |
| relation to the Numbers of Sick or |
| wounded. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 26 | 29 |
| | | |
| Fluxes | 18 | 63 |
| | | |
| Scurvy | 57 | 34 |
| | | |
| Wounds | 627 | 60 |
| | | |
| Other Complaints | 44 | 127 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion, | | |
| including wounded | 7½| 46 |
| | | |
| General Proportion, | | |
| exclusive of Wounds | 8 | 48 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
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.
The discipline and internal œconomy of the French ships of war are
greatly inferior to those of the British. Their decks are never washed,
and there is a great defect in every point of cleanliness and order.
The free course of the air is obstructed by lumber of every kind, and
by bulkheads, which are not taken down even in the time of battle;
and the gratings are covered night and day with tarpaulins, even in a
hot climate. There are not even scuppers opened on the lower deck as
outlets to the water and filth, which necessarily accumulate there, and
for which the only vent is a pipe contrived on purpose, passing from
that deck along the ship’s side into the hold, which becomes thereby a
common sink, inconceivably putrid and offensive. And in addition to the
ordinary causes of corruption, there was one peculiar to the occasion;
for the blood, the mangled limbs, and even whole bodies of men, were
cast into the orlop, or hold, and lay there putrifying for some time.
The common sailors among the French have a superstitious aversion to
the throwing of bodies overboard immediately after they are killed, the
friends of the deceased wishing to reserve their remains, in order to
perform a religious ceremony over them when the hurry and danger of the
day shall be over. When, therefore, the ballast, or other contents of
the holds of these ships, came to be stirred, and the putrid effluvia
thereby let loose, there was then a visible increase of sickness. For
the first three weeks after the capture, the stench proceeding from the
numbers of wounded men contributed also to taint the air.
The Ville de Paris was much more sickly than the other prizes, not
only from her being larger, and thereby containing a greater mass of
foul air, but by receiving the surviving part of the crew of the Santa
Monica, one of our frigates, which had been cast away on the Virgin
Islands, and whose men were so reduced by hardship and intemperance,
that most of them were taken ill as soon as they came to breathe the
unwholesome air of the French prize. To whatever cause it was owing,
the fever was much more violent here than in the other prizes, and
it generally carried men off on the third or fourth day; and what is
remarkable, the officers were affected by it in a greater proportion
than the common men. One lieutenant, and every warrant officer, except
the boatswain, died of it. This was a proof that the sickliness was
owing to the bad air, and not to the intemperance and irregularity so
usual on board of prizes, which only the common men give into; and the
probable cause of the officers being most affected is, that they were
accustomed in common to a purer air, by living in the most clean and
airy parts of the ship.
It is also remarkable, that the Ville de Paris was healthy when taken,
and had been so ever since leaving France in March, 1781; nor had any
other of the captured ships of the line been sickly for some time
before, except the Ardent, when she arrived at Martinico four months
before, at which time the greater part of the crew were sent to the
hospital with fevers. This, as well as other facts of the same kind,
tends to prove, that when men come to be much habituated to bad air,
their health is not affected by it.
The French ships were purified by washing and scraping, by fumigating
daily with gunpowder and vinegar, and by the use of wind sails; but
nothing seemed to contribute so much to sweeten the air in them as
burning fires in the hold; for this tended both to make the putrid
matter exhale, and to carry it off, by producing a perpetual change of
air. Captain Curgenven, who at this time commanded the Ville de Paris,
had great merit from his very assiduous and successful endeavours in so
difficult a duty as the management and equipment of this great ship. In
consequence of the judicious measures taken, and the men becoming more
used to the bad air, the sickness ceased in the course of a few weeks.
In the accounts given in the tables, the French prizes are not
included, for the disorderly state in which they were at this time
prevented my receiving regular returns: but having made inquiry
concerning the mortality in the Ville de Paris, I found, that of a
crew of three hundred and twelve men, there died ten in the month of
May, and there were thirty sent to the hospital, whose cases were so
unfavourable, that about one half died. The only diseases were fevers.
The surgeon of the Ardent told me about the same time, that one third
of the crew of that ship was ill of fevers.
The second cause of the prevalence of sickness, while the fleet was at
Jamaica, was, the watering duty, which was carried on at Rock-fort,
about three leagues from Port Royal. It was the practice of many of the
ships to leave the water casks on shore all night, with men to watch
them; and as there is a land wind in the night, which blows over some
ponds and marshes, there were hardly any of the men employed on that
duty who were not seized with a fever of a very bad sort, of which a
great many died. The ships that followed a different practice were
somewhat longer in watering; but this was much more than compensated by
their preserving the health and saving the lives of their men.
The land wind which blows on the shore in the night time, is a
circumstance in which Jamaica differs from the small islands to
windward, over which the trade wind blows without any interruption: but
though this land wind blows upon Port Royal from some marshes at a few
miles distance, it does not seem to produce sickness, for it is a very
healthy place, and several of the ships enjoyed as good health as in
the best situations on the windward station. The bay which forms this
harbour is bounded towards the sea by a peninsula of a singular form,
being more than ten miles in length, and not a quarter of a mile broad
at any part. Great part of it is swampy and overgrown with mangroves,
and though of such small extent, we fancied that some of the ships that
lay immediately to leeward of this part were more sickly than those
that were close to the town of Port Royal, which stands at the very
extremity of this long peninsula upon a dry, gravelly soil.
The weather this month was uniformly dry in port; but at sea the
air was moist and hazy. Between Jamaica and Hispaniola, where part
of the squadron was left to cruise, dead calms prevailed; and this,
joined to the moisture of the air, was probably what caused the flux
to prevail chiefly in this part of the fleet. At Port Royal, on the
contrary, there was a strong dry breeze, which set in every day about
nine o’clock in the morning, and blew all day so fresh, that there was
frequently danger in passing from one ship to another in boats. This
is called, in the language of the country, the _fiery sea breeze_, an
epithet which it seems to have got not from its absolute heat, but from
the feverish feeling which it occasions by drying up the perspiration.
It was remarked, that this breeze was stronger this season than had
ever been remembered; and it sometimes even blew all night, preventing
the land breeze from taking its usual course. This year was farther
remarkable for the want of the rains that were wont to fall in the
months of May and June. We shall have occasion to remark hereafter,
that this was a very uncommon season also in Europe and America. The
heat, by the thermometer, this month, on board of a ship at Port Royal,
was, in general, when lowest in the night, at 77°, and when highest in
the day, in the shade, at 83°.
There was a considerable increase of scurvy in this month, compared
with the former months of this campaign; but very inconsiderable,
compared with what had occurred in cruises of the same length in former
years. The last division of the fleet had been at sea seven weeks, all
but one day, when it arrived at Port Royal; and though the scurvy had
appeared in several of the ships, it did not prevail in any of them to
a great degree, except in the Nonsuch. Out of fourteen deaths which
happened in the whole fleet from this disease, in May, seven of them
were in this ship, and several were sent from her to the hospital in
the last and most desperate stage of it. But, upon the whole, the cases
of the true sea scurvy in the fleet, in general, were few and slight,
and a great many of those given in the reports under the head of
scurvy, were cutaneous eruptions or ulcers, not properly to be classed
with it.
The cruise in the preceding year to windward of Martinico, may be
compared with that in May of this year; for the fleet in both cases had
been at sea about the same length of time. But the comparison is very
greatly in favour of the latter, which is most probably to be imputed
to the plentiful supply of melasses, wine, sour krout, and essence of
malt. But no adequate reason that I could discover can be assigned for
the prevalence of it in the Nonsuch to a degree so much more violent
than in the other ships; and it was here farther remarkable, that it
attacked every description of men indiscriminately; for I was assured
by the officers and by the surgeon, that not only the helpless and
dispirited landsman was affected, but old seamen, who had never before
suffered from it on the longest cruises. I have been led by this, and
some other facts, to suspect that there may be something contagious in
this disease.
JUNE.
The greater part of the fleet remained at Jamaica during this month,
refitting and watering. Twelve ships of the line were sent to sea on
the 17th, under the command of Rear-admiral Drake, but not being able
to get to windward on account of the fresh breezes that prevailed,
they returned to Port Royal on the 28th. Such of these ships as were
sickly, became more healthy while at sea; but some bad fevers arose,
particularly in the Princessa; and it is a curious circumstance, that
these fevers attacked only those men who had been on shore on the
watering duty; from which it would appear, that something caught or
imbibed, which is the cause of the fever, lies inactive for some time
in the constitution, some of the men not having been affected for more
than a week after they had been at sea.
The weather continued dry and windy, as in the former month; but the
heat was in general about two degrees higher, the thermometer varying
from 79° to 84½°.
TABLE, shewing the proportional Sickness and Mortality in June.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of this Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of those who died, in |
| relation to the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 11 | 19 |
| | | |
| Fluxes | 20 | 83 |
| | | |
| Scurvy | 47 | 231 |
| | | |
| Other Complaints | 37 | 97 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 6 | 39 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths in relation to the whole numbers on board, was
one in one hundred and thirty-eight.
There was only one in thirty of the sick sent to the hospital in the
course of this month.
There was an increase both in the numbers and fatality of fevers.
This increase was chiefly in that sort of fever which depends on the
air and climate, the greater part of which was caught on the watering
duty. There was a diminution of those fevers depending on infection,
and the foul air of ships, which arose in the French prizes. The care
that was taken in purifying these ships was very effectual; for only
four died this month in the Ville de Paris, and fewer also were sent
to the hospital than in May. The increase of the other kind of fever
was chiefly owing to there being a greater number of ships in port, the
crews of which were employed in watering, and partly, no doubt, to the
increase of heat in the weather. The ships in which the fevers were
most fatal were the Monarch, the Duke, the Torbay, and the Resolution.
The sickness in the Duke was still in a great measure owing to the same
infection that had hitherto prevailed; for this ship had never been
cleared of the infectious fever, for want of room at the hospital. That
which broke out in the Torbay was also of the low infectious kind, few
of them having the symptoms of that which is peculiar to the climate,
which prevailed in the other ships. This ship, though formerly very
subject to infectious complaints, had been remarkably healthy for some
time past; but it would appear that there was a large stock of latent
infection, which shewed itself from time to time.
Some ships, particularly the Montague and Royal Oak, had no increase
of fevers or other complaints, though the one lay in port for seven,
and the other for eleven weeks, and were more or less exposed to the
causes of sickness which affected the rest of the fleet. This is a
proof, among many others, that a particular combination of causes
is necessary to produce a disease: no single one, however powerful,
being sufficient, without the concurrence of others. What seemed to
be wanting here was the predisposition requisite for the admission of
disease into the constitution; for the ships that enjoyed this happy
exemption were such as had long-established and well-regulated crews,
accustomed to the service and climate.
There had been this month a diminution both of the numbers and
mortality of fluxes, which is agreeable to what was before remarked,
that fevers were more apt than fluxes to prevail in the bad air of a
harbour[16]. It was also before remarked, that there were few or no
fluxes in those ships in which the fever was most malignant; and now
that the fever began to grow more mild in the French prizes, the flux
began to appear. In the Barfleur, Duke, and Namur, both diseases seemed
to prevail equally; but the fevers, though numerous, were more of the
low nervous kind than bilious or malignant; and the fluxes chiefly
attacked those who were recovering from fevers. We may farther remark,
that these three men of war were three-decked ships, of 90 guns, the
crews of which being more numerous, and composed of a more mixed set
of men, were consequently subject to a greater chance of infection,
and a greater variety of complaints. The Formidable still remained
healthy to an extraordinary degree. Some fevers were indeed imported
from the Ville de Paris by men that had been lent to that ship, and who
were taken ill after their return. Of these, a few of the worst cases
were sent to the hospital, and two died on board, who, with one that
died the preceding month, make the whole mortality of this ship, since
leaving England, amount only to the loss of three men.
There has been little or no increase of scurvy this month; for though
the numbers put on the list appear to be greater, the mortality is much
less. It may indeed appear a matter of surprise that there should have
been any scurvy at all, considering that the greater part of the fleet
was at anchor all this month. But as this was the greatest fleet that
had ever visited Jamaica, it was impossible to find fresh provisions
for the whole; and the small supply they had did not amount to one
fresh meal in a week. Port Royal is also remote from the cultivated
part of the island, so that fruit and vegetables were both scarce and
high priced, particularly this year, on account of the usual rains in
May and June having failed. There was, however, an allowance of fresh
provisions and vegetables made to the sick by public bounty; for as
the hospital could contain but a small proportion of the sick and
wounded, an order was given for the supply of fresh meat, fruit, and
vegetables, to the sick, and five hundred pounds of Peruvian bark were
also distributed as a public gratuity, besides sugar, coffee, and wine.
With these aids, and the various good articles of victualling from
England, the fleet was preserved uncommonly healthy for a West-India
campaign: for though the mortality had increased considerably during
our stay at Jamaica, yet the loss of men, upon the whole, was small,
compared with that of other great fleets in this climate on former
occasions. The greatest squadron, next to this, that had ever been
on this station was that under Admiral Vernon in the year 1741, at
the same season. From this fleet upwards of eleven thousand men were
sent to the hospital in the course of that and the preceding year, of
whom there died one in seven, besides what died on board of their own
ships and in two hospital ships[17]. The disproportion of sickness
in the two fleets will appear still greater, when it is considered
that Admiral Vernon’s contained only fifteen thousand seamen and
marines[18]; whereas that under Lord Rodney contained twenty-two
thousand. What added to the sickness of the former was the unfortunate
expedition to Carthagena in April, 1741; to which probably it was owing
that a much greater proportion of yellow fevers were landed from the
fleet at that time than from ours, as appears by the papers left by Mr.
Hume, who was then surgeon of the hospital. The hospital was then at a
place called Greenwich, on the side of the bay opposite to Port Royal,
and was very large; but it was found to be in a situation so extremely
unhealthy, that it was soon after abandoned and demolished, and the
hospital has since been at Port Royal.
It appears by the tables, that a greater number was put on the list
under the head of _other complaints_ in this month than the last.
This was owing to the great number of ulcers which I have remarked to
keep pace with feverish as well as scorbutic complaints; for when the
constitution of the air is favourable to disease, or the habit of body
prone to it, wounds and sores are found then to be more difficult of
cure. There were twelve deaths besides those occasioned by what have
been called the three epidemics. Of these, five perished by drowning
and other accidents, three died of ulcers, one of wounds received in
action, one of _cholera morbus_, and one of an abscess.
It has appeared that very few ships of this numerous fleet preserved
their health while lying at anchor; and it would seem that short and
frequent cruises are very conducive to health. It was eleven weeks from
the time that the first of our fleet came to anchor at Jamaica till the
main body of it sailed for America on the 17th of July. Great fleets
are in time of war under the necessity of being at one time longer at
sea, and at another time longer in port, than is consistent with the
health of the men, the ships being obliged to act in concert and to
co-operate with each other. This is one reason, among others, for ships
of the line being more sickly than frigates. As ships of war must be
guided by the unavoidable exigencies of service, it would be absurd
to consider health only; but if this were to be the sole object of
attention, a certain salutary medium could be pointed out in dividing
the time between cruising and being in harbour; and it is proper that
this should be known, that regard may be had to it, as far as may be
consistent with the service. I would say, then, that in a cold climate
men ought not to be more than six weeks at sea at one time, and need
not be less than five weeks, and that a fourth part of their time spent
in port would be sufficient to replenish their bodies with wholesome
juices. In a warm climate men may be at sea a considerable time longer,
without contracting scurvy, provided they have been under a course of
fresh and vegetable diet when in port.
Though contagion is not so apt either to arise or to spread in this
climate as in colder ones, there were several circumstances about this
time tending to prove that it may exist in a hot climate. Those ships
which had their men returned to them from the French prizes, in all of
which fevers prevailed, had an increase of sickness not only in the
men that were returned, but in the rest of the crew. There was another
presumption of contagion, from the proportion of mortality among the
surgeons and their mates, who were by their duty more exposed to the
breath, effluvia, and contact of the sick. There died, during our stay
at Jamaica, three of the former, and four of the latter, which is a
greater proportion than what died of any other class of officers or men.
It has been the opinion of some, that fevers do not arise from any
putrid _effluvia_, except those of the living human body, or some
specific infection generated by it while under the influence of
disease. It has been alledged in proof of this, that the putrid air in
some great cities is breathed without any bad effects; and a celebrated
professor of anatomy[19] used to observe, that those employed in
dissecting dead bodies did not catch acute diseases more readily than
other people. I believe this may be true, in a climate like Europe,
where cold invigorates the body, and enables it to resist the effects
of foul air; but I am persuaded it is otherwise in tropical climates.
The external heat of the air induces great languor and relaxation, and
we cannot breathe the same portion of air for the same length of time
in a hot as in a cold climate, without great uneasiness. The want of
coolness must, therefore, be compensated by a more frequent change of
air, and by its greater purity: any foulness of the air is accordingly
more felt in a hot climate; and, according to the modern theory, air,
already loaded with putrid phlogistic vapour, will be less qualified
to absorb the same sort of vapour from the blood in the lungs, in
which, according to this theory, the use of respiration consists. Be
this as it will, there is something in purity of air which invigorates
the circulation, and refreshes the body; and the contrary state of it
depresses and debilitates, particularly in a hot climate; and in this
way foul air may induce disease, like any other debilitating cause,
independent of infection, or any specific quality. There was no reason
to suspect any such infection in the Ville de Paris; for there was no
sickness on board of this ship when in possession of the enemy, and
the sickness that prevailed after her being captured seemed to proceed
from what may be called simple putrefaction. There was an instance
of the same kind in one of our own ships of the line, in which a bad
fever broke out in the beginning of July, which seemed to be owing
to the foul air of a neglected hold; for there was a putrid stench
proceeding from the pumps, which pervaded the whole ship. I perceived
this very sensibly one day, when visiting some officers who were ill of
fevers; and before I left the ship an alarm was given of two men being
suffocated in what is called the _well_, which is the lowest accessible
part of the hold. This fever was of a very malignant kind, and fell
upon the officers more than the men; for six of them were seized with
it, of whom three died on the third day after being taken ill.
The fevers, which were of the greatest malignity at this time, affected
the officers more than the common men. Only one captain died at Jamaica
while the fleet was there, and it was of this fever. We lost five
lieutenants, of whom four died of it; and this was the disease which
carried off the three surgeons. But foul air was not the only cause
that produced this fever among the officers, several of whom brought
it on by hard drinking, or fatiguing themselves by riding or walking
in the heat of the sun. It cannot be too much inculcated to those who
visit tropical countries, that exercise in the sun, and intemperance,
are most pernicious and fatal practices, and that it is in general by
the one or the other that the better sort of people, particularly those
newly arrived from Europe, shorten their lives.
Before leaving Jamaica, I sent to England a Supplement to the Memorial
given in, last year[20].
CHAP. V.
Account of the HEALTH of the FLEET, from its leaving Jamaica on
the 17th of July, till its Departure from New York on the 25th
of October.----What Diseases most prevalent on the Passage to
America--Rapid Increase of the Scurvy during the last Week of
the Passage--Method of supplying the Sick at New York--The Fleet
uncommonly healthy in October--State of the Weather and of Health in
America in Summer and Autumn, 1782.
The season of the hurricanes approaching, and all the convoys destined
for England this year being dispatched, the main body of the fleet,
consisting of twenty-four ships of the line, left Port Royal on the
17th of July, under the command of Admiral Pigot, in order to proceed
to the coast of America. A great convoy for England had been sent off a
few days before, protected by the Ville de Paris and six other ships of
the line, which we overtook and passed at the west end of the island.
When we arrived off the Havannah, a large squadron of the enemy was
seen there in readiness to sail, which induced the Admiral to wait in
sight of it for the convoy, which did not come up till ten days after.
Owing to this delay, and our meeting with baffling winds on the rest of
the passage, we did not arrive at New York till the 7th of September.
We found there the Invincible and Warrior, which sailed after us, but
arrived before us, by having taken the windward passage.
TABLE, shewing the proportional Prevalence of different Diseases, and
their Mortality, in July, 1782.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 13½| 16 |
| | | |
| Fluxes | 24 | 49 |
| | | |
| Scurvy | 91 | 0 |
| | | |
| Other Complaints | 20 | 134 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 5½| 33 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The mortality this month, in relation to the whole numbers on board,
was one in a hundred and thirty.
There were only one in thirty-eight of the sick sent to the hospitals.
The fevers arose chiefly during the first two weeks after leaving
Jamaica, which renders it probable that the seeds of them were brought
from thence. Had they been owing to the heat simply, they would have
been as apt to arise in some subsequent part of the passage; for the
tropical heats at this season of the year extend to the 30th degree
of latitude, which we did not cross till the 22d of August, that is,
near five weeks after leaving Jamaica. The only ships in which the
fever could be imputed to infection or foul air were the Barfleur,
Alcide, and the Aimable frigate. The first had received, as recruits,
at Jamaica, men who had been confined for some time before in a French
jail, and a fever of a bad kind spread on board of her soon after.
The Aimable was a prize from the French; and the sickness was here so
evidently owing to foul air, that, whenever the contents of the hold
were stirred, so as to let loose the putrid effluvia, there was then an
evident increase of sickness. The fever in the Alcide was of a peculiar
slow kind, to be described hereafter, and seemed to be a continuation
of the same infection which had so long existed in that ship.
The Duke, which had hitherto been by far the most subject to fevers of
any ship in the fleet, became more and more free from them even in the
most early part of this passage, and might be said to be entirely so at
the time she arrived in America. The fever had been so very prevalent
in this ship since leaving England, that there was hardly a man who had
escaped it. Could this have any effect in making them less liable to
catch it a second time?
In the course of this passage the dysenteries came to prevail over the
fevers, as we have found to be commonly the case at sea. It appears
by the former table, compared with the next, that the mortality in
fevers was much the same, and that in the dysentery it was greater
than while the fleet was at Jamaica. This does not argue, however,
that the diseases were equally malignant, but was owing to the want
of an hospital, and of those comforts of diet which the sick enjoyed
on board while in harbour. This last was particularly felt in the
dysenteries, in the cure of which more depends upon diet than in most
other diseases. In all the calculations of mortality on board of ships,
if any have been sent to the hospital, they are to be deducted from the
number; and these make a greater difference in the mortality on board
than their numbers simply would indicate; for only the worst cases, and
those therefore who were most likely to die, used to be sent to the
hospital. But as the fleet was at sea during the whole of this month,
no allowance of this kind is to be made.
TABLE, shewing the proportional Sickness and Mortality in August.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 31 | 17 |
| | | |
| Fluxes | 46 | 35 |
| | | |
| Scurvy | 25 | 66 |
| | | |
| Other Complaints | 27 | 43 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 7½ | 31 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The mortality this month, in relation to the whole numbers on board,
was one in one hundred and sixty-nine.
The scurvy began to appear very soon upon this passage; for by the end
of August, at which time the fleet had only been six weeks at sea, and
that in a warm climate, and in dry weather, it had made considerable
progress. It first appeared and prevailed most in the Prince George
and Royal Oak, though they had been ten weeks at Jamaica. This was the
first sickness with which the latter had been affected since arriving
in the West Indies; and there was no perceivable peculiarity in either
of them to account for their being subject to it more early, or more
violently, than the rest of the fleet. If the disease is contagious,
as has been suspected, there might be a few men on board of them, who,
being uncommonly prone to the disease, would be soon affected, and
communicate it, or at least hasten the symptoms in those who might be
less predisposed to it. But this is only conjecture. Before the end of
the voyage, the whole fleet was more or less afflicted with it, though
it had been only seven weeks and three days at sea; but the men had
received so few refreshments while in port, that their constitutions
were prepared to fall into this disease. The Barfleur, Alfred, and
Princessa, were most affected with it next to the two ships mentioned
above.
The seventeen ships which arrived from England in February and March
were much less affected with it than the rest of the fleet, which was,
no doubt, owing to the wine, melasses, and sour krout, with which they
were so amply supplied. Though these articles were all expended before
leaving Jamaica, yet the good effects of them on the constitutions of
the men were visible in the course of this passage.
The America was the most free from it of all the ships of the old
squadron; and this was owing to the great humanity and attention of the
captain[21], who, as soon as any of the men were taken ill, allowed
them wine and other refreshments from his private store. There was
another proof in the Conqueror of the great importance of attending
to this disease in its earliest stage. Mr. Lucas, the surgeon of this
ship, by watching the first beginnings of it, by a proper regulation of
diet, and the administration of the essence of malt and juice of limes,
not only prevented the progress of the disease, but proved, that,
with great attention, it may even be cured at sea. It is of the utmost
consequence in this disease to put the men on the sick list on the
very first appearance of the symptoms, so that they may early have the
advantage of proper treatment and regimen. It is only at this period of
it that the effects of essence of malt are sensible; but we have seen
that the juice of certain fruits will cure it in more advanced stages.
There is a very important remark suggested by comparing the two
preceding tables with that which follows. It appears that in the month
of September a much greater number was taken ill of scurvy, and also
that there died of this disease a greater proportion than in the two
preceding months. All the mischief from it in that month happened in
the first week of it, during which as many died as in the whole month
of August; for the fleet came to an anchor on the 7th of September at
New York, where the worst cases were immediately sent to the hospital,
and those that remained on board were supplied with every necessary
refreshment. Had the fleet remained longer at sea, the mortality would
probably have increased in the same progression; and this circumstance
ought to be well considered in undertaking cruises.
TABLE, shewing the proportional Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in
September.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 49 | 31 |
| Fluxes | 46 | 68 |
| Scurvy | 15½ | 39 |
| Ulcers | 68 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 62 | 226 |
+-----------------------|--------+--------+
| General Proportion, | 7 | 58 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths, in relation to the whole numbers on board,
was one in three hundred and ninety-eight.
About one third of all the sick were sent to the hospital.
As the proportion of ulcers was uncommonly great, I thought it worth
while to make a calculation of it. The Barfleur had the greatest
number; and this ship, for causes I cannot assign, was more afflicted
with bad ulcers than any other in the fleet, for several months
together.
The fleet having arrived at New York in this unhealthy state, the first
care was to make provision for the sick. There were somewhat more than
fifteen hundred on the sick lists of all the ships, and the hospital
could accommodate little more than six hundred. In order that it might
not be overcrowded, and that each ship might have a just share of
relief, I went round the fleet to ascertain the due proportion of those
cases that were the most proper objects for being sent on shore. All
the infectious and acute Complaints, and some of the worst scorbutics,
were accordingly sent to the hospital. Those who were kept on board
being chiefly such as were affected with the scurvy, were supplied with
various refreshments in their respective ships, and seemed to recover
as soon as if they had been sent on shore. They had indeed almost every
advantage enjoyed by those at the hospital; for, besides fresh meat
thrice a week, and spruce beer daily in common with the other seamen,
each man on the sick list was supplied every week at the public expence
with four pounds of apples and half a pound of sope. There were also
thirty casks of limes taken in a prize, which were distributed among
the scorbutic men, and proved of infinite use. Admiral Pigot’s great
zeal for the good of the service, as well as his natural humanity,
induced him to listen to whatever was proposed for the benefit of the
men.
The supply of sope was a thing entirely new in the service; but the
good effect of all the other articles would most probably have
been defeated, unless the men had been furnished with the means of
cleanliness, which is the most essential requisite of health. The
advantage of this method will appear by the returns of next month to
have been very conspicuous; and it was on this occasion more than any
other that I saw realised in every particular the plan proposed in
the memorial to the Admiralty. It may be added, that the sick that
were left on board were not even without the recreation of the shore
enjoyed by those at the hospital; for most of the captains had the
attention to send daily on shore, for amusement and exercise, such as
were able to walk. Thus there were all the advantages of an hospital
obtained at much less expence to Government, and without the risque of
intemperance, desertion, or infection, which are the inconveniencies
connected with an hospital. What farther contributed to health at this
time was, a large quantity of excellent wine with which the fleet was
supplied.
TABLE, shewing the proportional Sickness and Mortality in October.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of those died, in relation |
| to the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 45 | 250 |
| | | |
| Fluxes | 61 | 69 |
| | | |
| Scurvy | 34 | 197 |
| | | |
| Ulcers | 181 | 0 |
| | | |
| Other Complaints | 127 | 0 |
+-----------------------|--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 12½| 196 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths in this month, in relation to the whole number
on board, was only one in fourteen hundred and seventy-eight.
About one in twenty-nine of the sick was sent to the hospital.
There was, upon the whole, less sickness and mortality in this month
than in any other during which I kept records of the fleet. This was,
no doubt, owing in part to the climate, but was chiefly the effect of
the extraordinary attention paid to the refreshments of the men. The
fleet was here exactly in the same situation, and at the same season,
two years before, but was not near so healthy.
Nor were the advantages derived from the great plenty of refreshments,
procured at this time at New York, merely temporary; for the men’s
constitutions were so much improved by them, that the part of the
fleet which remained under the command of Lord Hood was at sea for
twelve weeks without being affected by the scurvy. This was chiefly
to be ascribed to the previous refreshments; for we have seen, that,
in a passage of seven weeks from Jamaica to New York, the fleet was
greatly affected with the scurvy, in consequence of not having had the
advantages of fresh meat and vegetables when last in port. The climate
had, no doubt, also a share in keeping off the scurvy; for the greater
part of the twelve weeks was taken up in a cruise off St. Domingo; and,
I believe, it never was known that a fleet was so long at sea, in a
cold climate, without being greatly affected with this disease.
It appears, that though the proportion of fevers had increased somewhat
this month over that of fluxes, yet the former were less fatal; and, I
think, the true dysentery is more frequent in this climate, and more
apt to prove fatal in its acute state, than in the West Indies. I have
indeed preferred the term flux to that of dysentery, for this reason,
that the symptoms in many cases did not rise so high as properly to
constitute dysentery; and the disease proves fatal in the West Indies
more frequently in the chronic than in the acute state. The fluxes were
daily gaining ground when we left New York, and continued to prevail
to a great degree in the Magnificent, which remained in that climate
several weeks after us.
The climate and situation of the fleet had a greater effect in
diminishing ulcers than any other complaints; for the proportion of
them in this month is little more than one third of what it was in the
last.
The calculation for October was made upon thirteen ships of the line,
which sailed from New York on the 25th of that month.
The weather had then begun to grow cold; but few or none of the
diseases peculiar to a cold climate had appeared. There occurred, while
we were at New York, several cases of inflammation of the liver among
the officers and men who came from the West Indies. It was remarked
formerly, that this complaint hardly ever occurred in the West Indies;
but it would appear that the residing there disposes to an inflammation
of this organ upon changing to a colder climate.
The preceding summer had been uncommonly cold, not only in North
America, but in the whole temperate part of the northern hemisphere,
so far as I could learn by inquiry. In consequence of this, the crops
failed in Europe, America, and the northern parts of Asia. The same
circumstance had a remarkable effect on the reigning diseases of the
season at New York; for, instead of the bilious complaints common in
the end of summer and in autumn, a slight fever of the inflammatory
kind had prevailed. An epidemic catarrh had spread all over Europe,
and some part of Asia, in the earlier part of the year; and perhaps
this was connected with the peculiar state of the atmosphere about this
time. It was before observed, that there was something unusual in the
state of the weather at Jamaica while the fleet lay there; and it is
possible that this might be owing to the same general cause.
CHAP. VI.
Account of the HEALTH of the FLEET from its Departure from New
York till the Conclusion of the War.----Passage to the West
Indies--Account of the Ships there during our Absence--Arrival of a
Squadron from England--Of these, two Ships only were healthy--Causes
of this--Inflammatory Complaints in the Union--Probable Cause of
these--Comparison of the two Squadrons--Increase of Sickness from
Recruits brought from England--from French prisoners.
Thirteen ships of the line sailed from America for the West Indies on
the 25th of October, under the command of Admiral Pigot, and the other
half of the fleet was left under Lord Hood, to watch the motions of the
French squadron, which was then at Boston.
The day on which we left the coast of America a storm came on, which
lasted two days; but the rest of the passage being fair and moderate,
we arrived at Barbadoes on the 20th of November, where the fleet
continued for the remainder of the month.
All the above-mentioned squadron, except two ships, is comprehended
in the calculation of the following table, and also the Magnificent,
Prudent, and Nonsuch. The two last had continued in the West Indies,
during our absence.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in November.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Number of Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 54 | 25 |
| Fluxes | 78 | 132 |
| Scurvy | 86 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 94 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 46 | 103 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 15 | 77 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
About a sixth part of the whole sick were sent to the hospital this
month, and one half of these were sent to the hospital at Halifax from
the Magnificent.
The proportion of deaths this month, in relation to the whole number on
board, was one in eight hundred and eighty-seven.
Fewer were taken ill this month than the preceding, but more in
proportion died; which might partly be owing to the fleet having been
more at sea, and partly to the change of climate.
Fevers were now more numerous, and also more fatal than any other
disease; and we see them follow the contrary proportion to fluxes
in the progress to the southward, that they did in our progress to
the northward. These fevers prevailed chiefly in the Formidable and
Warrior. In the former it first appeared among some men that had been
pressed at New York from a privateer, some of whom were seized a few
days after our arrival at Barbadoes with the yellow fever, and they
were the only instances of it at this time in the fleet.
The scurvy continued to diminish, but the ulcers increased as we came
into the torrid zone.
Diseases in general were so slight and so few at this time, that the
whole squadron from America sent only forty-eight men to the hospital
at Barbadoes from its arrival to the end of the month.
It may be proper here to give an account of some of the ships that
remained on this station, while the main body of the fleet was in
America.
The Prudent, when she left us, was extremely healthy, and continued
so till a flux broke out in July, which was communicated by some men
from a cartel, who were ill of this disease. It spread among the ship’s
company, and prevailed for three months. The only deaths during the
seven months that this ship was separated from the fleet were, two from
flux, and one from scurvy, and only twenty-five were sent to hospitals.
This is a proof how much more healthy the windward station is than that
of Jamaica. The scurvy arose at one time, in a cruise of five weeks,
though there was no appearance of it at another time in a cruise of six
weeks. The cause of this seems to be the difference of the weather at
the two periods; for it was very wet in the former, and very dry in
the latter. The time in which this ship was most exposed to sickness
was while she was under repair at Antigua, a situation in which hardly
any ship escapes a severe visitation of sickness; yet this ship was
not at all affected by it, which seemed to be owing to the uncommon
pains taken by the captain to prevent the men from labouring in the sun
during the hot part of the day.
The Nonsuch was five months separated from the fleet, during which time
ten men died. Nine of these died of fevers, and one of the dysentery.
She sailed from Jamaica for Barbadoes about the same time that the
fleet sailed for North America, and was nine weeks on the passage.
A fever was the prevailing disease, and the men probably inhaled
the seeds of it at Jamaica, in common with most of the other ships’
companies that were there. The scurvy, which had formerly prevailed
so much, appeared at this time; but it was in a very moderate degree,
considering the length of the passage. None died of it, and few
were so ill as to require being sent to the hospital. Had this ship
gone into a colder climate, like the others, it would probably have
prevailed to a greater degree. The whole number sent to the hospitals
for various complaints, during the five months, was only thirteen.
The Nymph frigate was the only other ship left in the West Indies
which is included in the tables. There happened only two deaths in
her from June to October, both months included. One of these was from
scurvy, the other from asthma. She was in that time upon two cruises,
each of which lasted eight weeks. During the first the weather was dry
and fine, and during the other it was wet and sultry, with the same
effect upon health as in the Prudent; for in the second cruise the
scurvy prevailed to a considerable degree, but not at all during the
first. This disease was prevented from becoming violent or fatal, on
either occasion, by the great attention of Mr. Anderson, the surgeon.
He found great benefit from the essence of malt, when given early in
the complaint; and some limes having been taken in a prize, while this
disease was at the worst, the scorbutic men were so much recovered by
the use of them, that they were all able to return to duty before the
ship arrived in port.
DECEMBER.
The whole squadron remained at anchor at Barbadoes, and nothing worth
notice occurred till the arrival of a reinforcement of eight ships
of the line, under Sir Richard Hughes, on the 8th of December. This
squadron had been detached by Lord Howe, after the relief of Gibraltar,
and the action with the combined fleets on the 20th of October. It
consisted of one ship of 90 guns, one of 80, three of 74, and three of
64. They sailed from England on the 9th of September, and from that
time till their arrival at Barbadoes they had not been in port, except
for ten days that they were at Madeira, where they were supplied with
fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables, by which means the scurvy, which
had begun to prevail to a considerable degree, was almost entirely
eradicated, and the health of the men was surprisingly restored, for so
short a time.
When they joined us, however, there was a good deal of sickness on
board of them all, except the Union and Ruby. The former had been more
than three years in commission, and in that time had never been sickly,
and had now all the advantages of a long-established and well-regulated
ship’s company. All the rest had been newly commissioned and manned
when they left England. The superior health of the Ruby was owing to
her having been manned with the crews of other ships, some of which
had just arrived from the West Indies; whereas the others had been
manned chiefly by draughts of pressed men from guardships, or by raw
volunteers, of whom a great many were raised in Ireland about this
time. The Bellona and Berwick having been somewhat longer in commission
than the rest, were less sickly.
The following tables will shew the comparative state of health of the
squadron formerly on the station with that which had newly arrived from
England.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the old
Squadron, in December.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 32 | 80 |
| Fluxes | 94 | 99 |
| Scurvy | 62 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 64 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 57 | 71 |
+----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion, | 11½ | 124 |
+----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of the deaths this month to the whole number of men
belonging to this part of the fleet, was one in eleven hundred and two.
There were fifty-six sent to the hospital, which was one in eighteen of
all the sick.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the new
Squadron, in December.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Number of Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 11 | 55 |
| Fluxes | 86 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 107 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 191 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 56 | 54 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 5 | 64 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of the deaths this month to the whole number of men
belonging to this part of the fleet, was one in four hundred and forty.
There were one hundred and eighty-nine sent to the hospital; but the
proportion to the whole number of sick cannot be ascertained, as we do
not know how many were on the list on the first of the month.
The increase of fevers in the old squadron was chiefly owing to their
having spread in the Nonsuch; and they seemed to partake more of
that kind which originates in jails and ships, than of that which
is peculiar to the climate. The body of one of the men who died of
this fever was inspected at the hospital, and there was found to be
inflammation and even perforation of the intestines, without any
previous symptom that could lead to expect such an appearance, a
circumstance more likely to happen in the former sort of fever than the
latter.
The increase of scurvy was owing to the numbers that were taken ill
of it in the Magnificent on the passage from Halifax, from whence
she sailed in the beginning of this month, and joined the fleet at
Barbadoes in the end of it. There was a great deal of sickness in this
ship at Halifax, and on the passage, owing to the want of such clothing
as was suitable to that severe climate. One of the principal complaints
was an inflammatory sore throat.
There was no change in the situation of the fleet, only that four ships
of the line were sent on the 16th to cruise near Guadaloupe, and they
continued at sea till the beginning of February.
The new squadron was much afflicted with the jail fever, brought from
England; and it was much more prevalent, as well as malignant, on board
of the Suffolk than any of the rest. During the passage it prevailed
most in the Princess Amelia, not less than twenty having died of it.
It subsided in this ship before she arrived in the West Indies; but on
board of the Suffolk it continued to rage for some months after.
As the hospital at Barbadoes was too small to contain all the sick
of this squadron, only the cases of greatest danger and the most
infectious were sent on shore, and those that remained were provided
with fresh vegetables and milk on board of their own ships, in the same
manner as had been formerly practised with such success on similar
occasions. This was continued for four weeks, during which time they
all got into tolerable health, except the Suffolk.
There appeared, by the returns of the new squadron, to be a greater
number under the head of “Other Complaints,” which was owing to the
number of pulmonic complaints, the consequence of the influenza which
prevailed in Europe, at sea, as well as on shore, in the spring and
beginning of the summer of this year.
Though inflammatory complaints are rare in this climate, yet in a few
of the ships there was some appearance of them; and I remarked that
they occurred in those ships which were in other respects most healthy,
and most free from infection. A good many of the men were seized with
inflammatory sore throats in the Bellona a few days before she arrived
at Barbadoes, and this was in other respects the most healthy ship
next to the Union and Ruby. In the Union there was no violent acute
complaint whatever, which was very singular among so great a body of
men; but several rheumatisms, coughs, and catarrhs, arose in her this
month, and there even occurred two pleurisies in the following month.
The bowel complaints which occurred on board of this ship were also
of an inflammatory nature. These distempers seemed to proceed from
accidental exposure and irregularity; and is it not highly probable
that these causes, instead of producing local inflammatory complaints,
might have been the means of exciting bad fevers and fluxes, as in the
other ships, had the men been equally predisposed to them, by living in
foul air, or under the influence of infection?
The following tables will shew the comparative state of health of the
two squadrons in the three first months of next year.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the old
Squadron in January, 1783.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 67 | 70 |
| Fluxes | 157 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 44 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 0 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 48 | 117 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 12½| 214 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The mortality this month, in relation to the whole number on board, was
one in twelve hundred and fifty-seven. About one fifteenth of all the
sick were sent to the hospital.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the new
Squadron in January, 1783.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 12 | 48 |
| Fluxes | 29 | 153 |
| Scurvy | 320 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 137 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 19 | 0 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 5½| 109 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths to the whole number on board was one in five
hundred and forty. About one in thirty of all the sick were sent to the
hospital.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the old
Squadron in February.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 46 | 69 |
| Fluxes | 159 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 63 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 100 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 51 | 136 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 13½| 173 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths to the whole number on board was one in
sixteen hundred and ninety-seven. One ninth of all the sick were sent
to the hospital.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the new
Squadron in February.
+-----------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of the Sick. |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| | A | B |
| DISEASES. | | |
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 30 | 50 |
| Fluxes | 34 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 212 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 174 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 52 | 0 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 11 | 185 |
+-----------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths to the whole number was one in twelve hundred
and seventy-six. The proportion sent to the hospital was the same this
month as in the other part of the squadron.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the old
Squadron, in March.
+--------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Numbers of Sick. |
+-------------------------+--------+---------+
| DISEASES. | A | B |
+-------------------------+--------+---------+
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-------------------------+--------+---------+
| Fevers | 28 | 12½ |
| Fluxes | 71 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 46 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 226 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 76 | 44 |
+-------------------------+--------+---------+
| General Proportion, | 11 | 194 |
+-------------------------+--------+---------+
The proportion of deaths to the whole number was one in thirteen
hundred and sixty-one. About one ninth of all the sick were sent to the
hospital.
TABLE, shewing the Prevalence of Sickness and Mortality in the new
Squadron, in March.
+-------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber’s Keys |
| |
| A Proportion of those taken ill in the |
| Course of the Month. |
| |
| B Proportion of Deaths, in relation to |
| the Number of Sick. |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+
| DISEASES. | A | B |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+
| | ONE IN | ONE IN |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+
| Fevers | 44 | 0 |
| Fluxes | 49 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 123 | 0 |
| Ulcers | 183 | 0 |
| Other Complaints | 38 | 138 |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+
| General Proportion | 12 | 403 |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+
The proportion of deaths to the whole number was one in four thousand
and eighty-seven. About one in eleven of all the sick were sent to the
hospital.
The main body of the fleet remained at Barbadoes till the 12th of
January, when they went to cruise to windward of Martinico, in order to
intercept a French squadron expected from North America. This cruise
lasted four weeks; and intelligence being received of the enemy’s
having taken a different route, the whole fleet bore away for St.
Lucia, where it came to an anchor on the 8th of February.
In the course of the three months above mentioned, we see the two
squadrons approaching to each other, in point of health, till they
became pretty equal and similar; and the new squadron became even
somewhat more healthy than the old.
The increase of fevers in the old squadron was owing to two causes.
One was the importation of new-raised recruits brought from England
by some ships that arrived in the beginning of January. These were
distributed to such ships as stood most in need of men; and being very
dirty and ill cloathed, were likely to harbour infection. They were
evidently the cause of sickness in the Warrior and Royal Oak; for these
ships were before that time healthy, and the fever began with these
strangers, and spread amongst the former crew. It is remarkable that
the ships that brought them from England were not affected by them.
It was caught in the Royal Oak from six men that came from England in
the Anson, which men, though first put on board the Namur, communicated
no fever there, having been kept separate from the rest of the men; but
being sent to the Royal Oak, they were themselves first taken ill with
a fever, which afterwards spread to about thirty of the other men. What
was singular in this fever was, that the eyes and skin of all that were
affected by it became yellow, though without any particular malignancy;
for only two died on board, and one in the hospital. There was one
whose skin was very yellow, yet his complaint was so slight as never to
confine him to his bed.
The other cause of the increased proportion of fevers in the old
squadron was, the great number of these complaints that arose in the
Magnificent. This ship having been sent on a cruise about the middle
of February, and the weather being rainy, squally, and uncommonly
cold, for the climate, many fevers of the inflammatory kind appeared.
During this cruise she made prize of a large French frigate, called
the Concord, and the greater part of the prisoners being taken on
board, the fever from that time assumed a different type, with new and
uncommon symptoms; for, instead of being inflammatory and requiring
bleeding, as before, it became more of a low, putrid kind, and was
attended in most cases, if not in all, with a continual sweating;
so that, instead of evacuations, the remedies that were found most
effectual were the Peruvian bark, blisters, and opium. Thus we see
fevers variously modified according to men’s constitutions, the state
of the air, and the noxious _effluvia_ of the strangers that intermix
with them.
We find the proportion of fluxes increasing in the new squadron in
January and February, as they had formerly done in most of the ships
soon after their arrival from England. They were observed also to
prevail principally in those ships that had formerly been most subject
to fevers, and not to arise till the fever had subsided. They were
found, for instance, to arise later in the Suffolk, where the fever was
obstinate and malignant, than in the Princess Amelia, where the fever
had been at one time general and fatal, but not so violent and lasting
as in the other.
The four ships that were sent to cruise near Guadaloupe continued at
sea for seven weeks; and it was owing to the prevalence of scurvy in
these and in the Magnificent that the proportion of that disease was
greater at this time in the old than in the new squadron.
The fleet remained at St. Lucia till the accounts of the peace arrived
in the beginning of April. The service was then at an end, and I
returned to England with the first division of the fleet, which sailed
from St. Lucia on the 12th of April, under the command of Rear-admiral
Sir Francis Drake, who was at this time in extremely bad health, and
requested me to accompany him.
PART I.
BOOK III.
Of the Numbers and Mortality of different Diseases sent to Hospitals.
CHAP. I.
Hospital at Gibraltar, 1780--at Barbadoes, 1780--Causes
of Mortality from various Diseases--Accidents--the
Hurricane--Wounds--Amputations--Scorches--Fluxes very apt to arise at
the Hospital--Proportion that were received and died at Antigua--St.
Christopher’s--St. Lucia, and at Barbadoes, 1782--at Jamaica, 1782--at
New York, Autumn, 1780--1782--General View of the Admissions and
Mortality at all the Hospitals during the War.
In order to judge of the loss sustained by disease, in the course of
that service of which a relation has been attempted, the sick sent to
the hospitals must be taken into account. I shall, therefore, give a
short view of the different diseases admitted, and their mortality, at
the several hospitals connected with the fleets in which I served. This
will serve also to illustrate the different effects that different
situations have upon the health and recovery of men[22].
The fleet which effected the first relief of Gibraltar, under the
command of Lord Rodney, consisting of twenty ships of the line, arrived
there in the third week of January, 1780, after a passage of three
weeks and a few days from England, in which they had an action with
the Spanish fleet, and obtained a victory over them, on the 16th of
that month. The whole fleet, except one ship, sailed from Gibraltar on
the 13th of February, and while it lay there, the diseases sent to the
hospital, and their respective mortality, were as follows[23]:
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| DISEASES. | Admitted. | Died. | Proportion. |
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| | | | ONE IN |
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| Fevers | 622 | 65 | 9½|
| Fluxes | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Scurvy | 13 | 1 | 13 |
| Ulcers | 20 | 3 | 7 |
| Wounds | 29 | 9 | 3 |
| Other Complaints | 12 | 3 | 4 |
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| Total | 713 | 79 | 9 |
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
[24]This comprehends not only the deaths in the time the fleet remained
there, but all that happened afterwards. The mortality, from wounds
and ulcers, is greater than might be expected in so fine a climate, and
at the coolest season of the year; but as the place was then besieged,
the sick and wounded could not be supplied with those refreshments that
were necessary to the recovery of the men, and wounds and ulcers are
complaints very apt to be affected by the quality of the diet.
The following is an Account of the Men admitted at the Hospital at
Barbadoes in the Campaign of 1780, that is, from the 16th of March till
the end of June:
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| DISEASES. | Admitted. | Died. | Proportion. |
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| | | | ONE IN |
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| Fevers | 277 | 43 | 6½|
| Fluxes | 70 | 22 | 4 |
| Scurvy | 199 | 47 | 4 |
| Ulcers | 92 | 16 | 5½|
| Wounds | 167 | 61 | 2½|
| Other Complaints | 129 | 23 | 5½|
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| Total | 943 | 212 | 4½|
+--------------------+-----------+-------+-------------+
The fevers were chiefly from the five line-of-battle ships that came
immediately from Europe in March. Upon their arrival they sent on shore
one hundred and ninety-three men ill of fevers, only one with the
flux, fifteen with the scurvy, and five with ulcers.
When these ships returned to Barbadoes in May, along with the rest
of the fleet, the greater part of the sick were then also on board
of them. By that time the flux and scurvy had broke out. The former
prevailed chiefly in the Terrible; the latter in the Intrepid. That
part of the fleet which we found on the station sent on shore a very
small proportion of all the classes of complaints, except wounds.
Of the wounds, nineteen were amputations, of which there died nine,
mostly of the locked jaw. There were forty-six scorched by gunpowder,
of whom there died fourteen; so that, besides those who were killed
outright, and those who died on board in consequence of accidents of
this kind, before they could be sent to an hospital, about one fourth
of all the wounds, and the same proportion of all the deaths from
wounds, at the hospital, was owing to this cause. This circumstance
ought to induce commanders to take every precaution to prevent such
accidents. In the subsequent part of the war they were less frequent,
in consequence of that greater caution, and more accurate method of
working great guns, which were acquired by practice and experience[25].
In the account of the mortality, I have included only such as died
before the 1st of January, 1781; for if any were carried off after that
time, it was most probably by some incidental complaint. There were
sixty-five of them at that time remaining, and they were chiefly men
disabled by lameness waiting for a passage to England as invalids.
Out of the twenty-three that were killed by the fall of the house in
the hurricane on the 10th of October, eight were of the number above
accounted for; but these are not included in any of the classes of
deaths.
The mortality among the men admitted at this time was greater than
what occurred afterwards in any of the hospitals that I attended,
except that at Jamaica. The principal cause of this was, that as the
fleet was so much greater than had ever been known here before, there
was not suitable accommodation for such numbers as it was necessary to
send on shore, and we had not then fallen on the method of supplying
refreshments to the men on board of their ships. The circumstance by
which the men suffered most was, the great crowding which the want of
room made necessary. There is here no public building appropriated for
an hospital; so that this, as well as every thing else, being found
by contract, and the number of sick being so much greater than it was
usual to provide for, the whole was at this time conducted in a manner
not very regular.