[* This squadron under the command of LANCASTER (who was called the General) set out in the year 1601. See Purchas's Pilgr. vol. i. p. 147, et seq.]
[** Idem, vol. iv. p. 1373, et seq.]
But passing from these old dates to one within the remembrance of many here present, when it might have been expeded that whatever tended to aggrandize the naval power of Britain, and to extend her commerce, would have received the highest improvement; yet we shall find, that even at this late period few measures had been taken to preserve the health of seamen, more than had been known to our uninstructed ancestors. Of this assertion the victorious, but mournful, expedition of Commodore Anson, affords too convincing a proof. It is well known that soon after passing the Streights of Le Maire, the scurvy began to appear in his squadron; that by the time the Centurion had advanced but a little way into the South Sea, forty-seven had died of it in his ship; and that there were few on board who had not, in some degree, been afflicted with the distemper, though they had not been then eight months from England. That in the ninth month, when standing for the island of Juan Fernandez, the Centurion lost double that number; and that the mortality went on at so great a rate (I still speak of the Commodore's ship) that before they arrived there she had buried two hundred; and at last could muster no more than six of the the common men in a watch capable of doing duty. This was the condition of one of the three ships which reached that island; the other two suffered in proportion.
Nor did the tragedy end here for after a few months respite the same fatal sickness broke out afresh, and made such havock, that before the Centurion (which now contained the whole surviving crew of the three ships) had got to the island of Tinian, there died sometimes eight or ten in a day; insomuch that when they had been only two years on their voyage, they had lost a larger proportion than of four in five of their original number; and, by the account of the historian, all of them, after their entering the South Sea, of the scurvy. I say by the account of the elegant writer of this voyage; for as he neither was in the medical line himself, nor hath authenticated this part of his narrative by appealing to the surgeons of the ship or their journals, I should doubt that this was not strictly the case; but rather, that in producing this great mortality, a pestilential kind of distemper was joined to the scurvy, which, from the places where it most frequently occurs, hath been distinguished by the name of jail or hospital-fever*. But whether the scurvy alone, or this fever combined with it, were the cause, it is not at present material to inquire, since both, arising from foul air and other sources of putrefaction, may now in a great measure be obviated by the various means fallen upon since Lord Anson's expedition. For in justice to that prudent as well as brave commander, it must be observed that the arrangements preparatory to his voyage were not made by himself; that his ship was so deeply laden as not to admit of opening the gun-ports, except in the calmest weather, for the benefit of air; and that nothing appears to have been neglected by him, for preserving the health of his men, that was then known and practised in the navy.
[* Dr. Mead, who had seen the original observations of two of Commodore Anson's surgeons, says, that the scurvy at that time was accompanied with putrid fevers, etc. See his Treatise on the Scurvy, p. 98. et seq.]
I should now proceed to enumerate the chief improvements made since that period, and which have enabled our ships to make so many successful circumnavigations, as in a manner to efface the impression of former disasters; but as I have mentioned the sickness most destructive to mariners, and against the ravages of which those preservatives have been mainly contrived, it may be proper briefly to explain its nature, and the rather as, unless among mariners, it is little understood. First then, I would observe that the scurvy is not the ailment which goes by that name on shore. The distemper commonly, but erroneously, in this place, called the scurvy, belongs to a class of diseases totally different from what we are now treating of; and so far is the commonly received opinion, that there are few constutions altogether free from a scorbutic taint, from being true, that unless among sailors and some others circumstanced like them, more particularly with respect to those who use a salt and putrid diet, and especially if they live in foul air and uncleanliness, I have reason to believe there are few disorders less frequent. This opinion I submitted to the judgment of the society several years ago, and I have had no reason since to alter it. I then said, contrary to what was generally believed, but seemingly on the best grounds, that the sea-air was never the cause of the scurvy, since on board a ship, on the longest voyages, cleanliness, ventilation, and fresh provisions, would preserve from it; and that upon a sea-coast, free from marshes, the inhabitants were not liable to that indisposition, though frequently breathing the air from the sea*. I concluded with joining in sentiments with those who ascribed the scurvy to a septic resolution, that is a beginning corruption of the whole habit, similar to that of every animal substance when deprived of life**. This account seemed to be sufficiently verified by the examination of the symptoms in the scorbutic sick, and of the appearances in their bodies after death***. On that occasion I remarked, that salted meats after some time become in effect putrid, though they may continue long palatable by means of the salt; and that common salt, supposed to be one of the strongest preservatives from corruption, is at best but an indifferent one, even in a large quantity; and in a small one, such as we use at table with fresh meats, or swallow in meats that have been salted, so far from impeding putrefaction, it rather promotes that process in the body.
[* Diseases of the Army, part I. ch. 2. Append. Pap. 7.]
[** Woodall's Surgeon's Mate, p. 163. Poupart. Mem. de l'Acad. R. des Sc.
A. 1'99. Petit. Mal. des Os, tom. II.p. 446. Mead on the Scurvy, p. 104.]
This position concerning the putrefying quality of sea-salt, in certain proportions, hath been since confirmed by the experiments of the late Mr. Canton, Fellow of this Society, in his Paper on the Cause of the luminous appearance of sea-water*.
[* Phil. Transact. vol. lix. p. 446.]