Medical Sketches of the Expedition to Egypt, from India

by Sir James McGrigor

I shall now advert to some of the principal measures of prevention of disease in general: some regulations regarding the plague are mentioned under the head of that disease.

Within the last thirty or forty years the improvements made in the means of preserving the health of seamen have been great. These had their rise from the great Captain Cooke; after him, very much was done by Dr Lind, of Haslar-hospital; since, by Dr Blane; and, more lately, by the present able physician to the fleet, Dr Trotter.

Under the eminent surgeon-general of the artillery, a very great deal has been done in the ordnance-department. Abroad, as well as at home, their hospitals and the medical department are in a state not unworthy of imitation.

Since the time of the Carthagena expedition, a good deal has been done in the army likewise. To the present commander-in-chief the army owes very much; and the Army Medical Board have, of late, corrected many abuses, and introduced much improvement into the medical department: but much remains to be done for the soldier, especially when embarked for service.

Often, during the late war, have we seen troops suffer much in transports; and, on one or two occasions, a confinement of two or three months on ship-board has crippled regiments, if not armies, and left them unfit for service.

At no time, I believe, have troops on any expedition been so long confined on ship-board as during that of which we are treating; and in none I believe, not even in the shortest, has there been a smaller loss of men.

This is to be ascribed entirely to the very liberal policy of the great character at the head of affairs in India, and to the gallant general selected to command on this expedition. It was the governor-general’s order, that every convenience and comfort, that might conduce to the health of the soldier, should be most amply provided. In consequence of this, a sufficiency of tonnage, and that calculated for a warm climate, was procured. Large, lofty, and roomy, ships were fitted up, and the greatest care was taken to embark only such as were in perfect health. The transports were liberally provided with every requisite or comfort for a long voyage: the quality of the water was particularly attended to. Besides a large stock of fresh provisions, vegetables of every kind were shipped. There was a large stock of potatoes, of onions, bread-fruit, pickled vegetables, of tea, rice, and pepper, which were regularly served out to all. Besides these, for the sick there was provided a large stock of wines, of fermented liquors, and of every other comfort.

To the very liberal manner in which the transports were fitted up, and to the regulations established in every transport of the fleet, which were rigorously enforced, is undoubtedly owing the very healthy state in which most corps remained, for half a year, on ship-board; and that, on landing, they were fit to march on any service.

At Bombay there was, at first, a scarcity of shipping. One ship sailed thence much crouded; and, in a three-weeks passage to Ceylon, those on-board suffered much: there occurred much sickness and several deaths. On their arrival at the island of Ceylon, Mr North immediately ordered two more vessels for the troops with which this vessel (the Minerva) was crouded. The good effects of this measure struck all: thereafter, during a three-months passage to Kossier, there died not a man in the Minerva.