[121] Dr. Pringle has taken Notice, that it would be a right Measure to make an Allowance of Spirits to the Infantry on Service; which certainly would be of great Use, and save many Mens Lives; and might be done at a small Expence to the Government, if properly managed; as it would only be requisite to make such an Allowance when the Troops are in the Field, and to such Men as mount Guard in cold wet Weather, or at Nights in Garrison Towns, during the Winter. If ever such an Allowance be made, what Spirits are given to the Men ought to be mixed with five or six Times the Quantity of Water; except when Men are to stand Centinels, or to be upon Out-Posts, in a frosty Season, or in cold wet Weather; at which Time a small Glass of pure Spirits may be given them in Presence of the Officer or Serjeant of the Guard.
[122] Hildanus relates a very remarkable Instance of the good Effects of this Treatment. A Man was found quite stiff and frozen all over. He was put into cold Water, and immediately the icy Spicula were discharged from all Parts of his Body, so that he seemed covered with an icy Crust. He was then put into a warm Bed, and took a Cordial Draught, and a plentiful Sweat followed; after which he recovered with the Loss of the last Joints of his Fingers and Toes. De Gangræna, cap. xiii. People who are benumbed with Cold in frosty Weather ought never to be brought immediately near a Fire; for that has been found either to cause immediate Death or Gangrenes of the Extremities; and even Apples and other Fruits which have been frozen, if brought immediately near a Fire, turn soft and rot; but if put into cold Water, throw out the icy Spicula, and recover, so as to be almost as good as before they were frozen.
[123] Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen, 2d edition, page 19.
[124] The Regiments in Germany who kept their Butchers in Winter, and made Stoppages of the Mens Pay, and obliged them to take a certain Quantity of Meat daily, were much more healthy than those who used no Precaution of this Kind.
[125] In Places where the Articles here mentioned are at too high a Price for a Soldier’s Pay, a small Allowance, from the Government, of such Things would contribute much to the Preservation of the Mens Health in unwholesome Garrisons.
[126] See Dr. Lind’s Treatise on the Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen in the Royal Navy, where he takes Notice of most of the Articles here mentioned with regard to Transport Ships in treating of Ships of War.
[127] When Ships are too much crowded with Men, if they meet with a tedious Passage, and hot moist close Weather, they are often attacked with Diseases which prove very fatal. Dr. Lind, talking of Ships of War, says it is a Mistake destructive to the Men to crowd too many of them together in a southern Voyage, or in a hot Climate; as the Ship will be found, before the End of the Voyage, in more Distress for Want of Men, than she would have been, had she at first carried out only her proper Compliment. An additional Number is made, in order to supply an expected Mortality; but they generally increase that Mortality to double or triple their own Number. Ibid. note to p. 48.
[128] The following is the Diet established for the Seamen of his Majesty’s Navy.
Every Man is allowed a Pound of Biscuit, Averdupoiz Weight, and a Gallon of Beer, Wine Measure, per Day.
On Sunday and Thursday, one Pound of Pork, and Half a Pint of Peas, Winchester Measure.