Select dissertations on several subjects of medical science / by Sir Gilbert Blane ; now first collected, with alterations and additions; together with several new and original articles.

  • Gilbert Blane
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Select dissertations on several subjects of medical science / by Sir Gilbert Blane ; now first collected, with alterations and additions; together with several new and original articles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Kings College London. The original may be consulted at Kings College London.

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    with which ships have been furnished while in port, during the late war, has also contributed much to counteract the scurvy, for formerly this disease was not confined to long voyages and cruises. It appears from Dr. Lind’s state- ment, that one thousand four hundred and fifty-seven men ill of scurvy were sent to the hospital from the Channel fleet in 1780, and it has been known to arise in ships while at anchor under the dally use of small-beer. Nay, it has been known to arise among prisoners of war living entirely on fresh diet, and solely imputable therefore to confinement in bad air, a dull uniformity of life, depression of spirits, and indolent habits naturally belonging to a state of cap- tivity. This happened at Portchester Castle and Norman Cross towards the beginning of the revolutionary war, before those arrangements were put in practice, which afterwards so effectually secured their health. The like happened about the same time in a prison ship adjoining to Portchester Castle, but it was remarked to break out sooner, and to a greater degree in the ship than in the castle.* The yeai’ 1796 may therefore be considered as an era in the history of the health of the navy. But there appears!* t o have been another sudden decrease of sickness in the first years of this century. This is to be ascribed to the improvements in the method of promoting ventilation and cleanliness, and particularly to the strict]; discipline adopted * See also a curious instance of scurvy arising at land under the use of fresh provisions, in an article by Sir James Maegrigor, in the Med. and Surg. Journal of Edinburgh for 1805, page 282; also in the Trans, of the Coll. ofPhys. Vol.II. and IV. and Trans, of JMed.-Chir. Society. Vol. IV. page I4I. It appears from Pliny, that this disease affected also the Roman armies in Germany. There is reason to be- lieve that the scurvy will not arise in any circumstances under the use of fresh animal food, provided fresh vegetables are used at the same time. Farinaceous food, though of a vegetable nature, wUl not have the same effect. t See Tables I. and II. t See the letter from Dr. Baird in the subjoined Illustration III.