Remarks on the scurvy as it appeared among the English prisoners in France, in the year 1795 : with an account of the effects of opium in that disease, and of the methods proper to render its use more extensive and easy; (written during his confinement in the Tower) / by R.T. Crosfeild.

  • Robert Thomas Crosfeild
Date:
1797
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the scurvy as it appeared among the English prisoners in France, in the year 1795 : with an account of the effects of opium in that disease, and of the methods proper to render its use more extensive and easy; (written during his confinement in the Tower) / by R.T. Crosfeild. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    [ *9 ] one kind foon cloys; and if once the quality becomes thoroughly difagreeable, the ftomach will not, without loathing, receive it in any confiderable quantity. Vegetables, either treth or dried, as they require fait to render them palatable, very much difpole the llomach to receive falted food; and though they afford but little nutriment themfelves, yet by qualify- ing the difagreeable flavour of that which is more nutritious, render effential fervice. How much difference the quantity as well as the quality of the food makes, was fully demon- ftrated to me, by the flriking example before my eyes; for the tailors belonging to the cartels, who had plenty of fait provilions (with now and then a meal of frefh) were very little lubjeft to the fcurvy, unlefs debilitated by previous difeafe ; whereas the prifoners, whofe food was as mifer- ably deficient in quantity as in every other refpeft, were daily falling victims to it. From thefe premifes it was reafonable for me to conclude, that the only radical cure for the fcurvy was to be obtained not from medicine but from change of diet; yet that fome pallia- tion might be expected from thofe means that could be ufed to increafe the appetite, joined with fuch as give what may be called artificial firength. Such are the leveral acids, bark, opium, wine, and ftrong liquors, taken in mo- deration ; but none of thefe could be fuppofed to do more than relieve for a few days. Before I had perfectly fatisfied my own mind on the fubjeft, an event, lefs the effect of defign than of accident, convinced me that I was not totally wrong. An old man having fuffered in- tolerable pain, and loft the ufe of his-legs by the fcurvy,