Thomas Dover, physician and merchant adventurer / by J.A. Nixon.
- Nixon, John Alexander, 1874-1951.
- Date:
- 1909
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Thomas Dover, physician and merchant adventurer / by J.A. Nixon. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
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![assistant. Another Hopkins (William) was designated ship’s corporal, Captain Dover’s serjeant, and cook to the officers. Yet in spite of this array of surgeons and assistants, Woodes-Rogers has reason to record : “ Our surgeons make heavy complaints for want of sufficient medicines with which till now I thought we abounded, having a regular physician, an apothecary and surgeons enough, with all sorts of medicines, on board . . . but now we found it otherwise.” It appears that Dr. Dover’s interest in the undertaking was commercial rather than medical. On another occasion a doubt arises as to the technical skill of the surgeons, for on October 30th, 1709, it is recorded : “ One of our negro women cryed out, and was delivered of a girl of tawny colour. Mr. Wasse, our chief surgeon, was forced to discharge the office of midwife,” in which duties, it seems, he was somewhat unpractised. Dover made himself, as was his wont, an extremely can- tankerous travelling companion, and eventually, on October nth, 1709, was persuaded to betake himself to the other ship, the Duchess. In the January following he asserted his seniority in a fashion little to the liking of the ships’ officers. A prize had been taken, and Dover claimed as second captain to be appointed to command her, but the navigating officers protested : “ We therefore (being inclined to peace and quietness aboard, and not to use any violence to remove the said Captain Dover out of the aforesaid forc’d command, although he is utterly incapable of the office) do hereby publickly protest against the aforesaid commander.” Even as a buccaneer he seems to have had his limitations. Woodes-Rogers, in answer to this pip test, writes : “I being very weak and in much pain [he had been shot through the cheek] was not able to stir, therefore sent my opinion in writing as follows, ‘ My opinion is, that ’tis not for the safety of the rich Spanish prize that Captain Dover command her, because his temper is so violent, that capable men cannot well act under him, and himself is uncapable ! ’ ” Ultimately he sailed as commander of the prize, but the honour was purely titular, for lie was forbidden to interfere in any way with the navigation ol the ship, a competent captain 2](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22413248_0007.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
