To some, it may appear that, in the following Sketches, I have given too large a space to the journal; and that I have been too copious in my extracts from letters. Both of these are, no doubt, to many, dry and uninteresting; but, as statements of facts, from which every one can form deductions for himself, as they stand, they appeared to me much more useful than any conjectures which I might hazard to advance. It is to be feared that, too often, facts and details are made to bend to preconceived opinions and theories.
On the causes of diseases, I have dwelt a shorter time than to some may have appeared necessary. But I thought that, while the general causes of the diseases of soldiers and sailors have been so ably handled by a Pringle and a Lind, a Cleghorn and a Huxam, a Blane and a Hunter—from me, little could be expected. All that appeared necessary for me to do, was, to assign the extraordinary causes—those incidental to the expedition, or peculiar to Egypt; those, in fine, which rendered the service treated of different from former services, either on the continent of Europe, or in tropical climates.
It will be observed, that the diseases which occurred in the Indian army were but few; and, except on the plague, I detain the reader but a short time on this part of my subject. A long description of the symptoms, or of the history, of dysentery, diarrhæa, hepatitis, or ophthalmia, appeared to me superfluous; when, besides the very clear and perfect nosological account of the illustrious Cullen, we have many complete histories of these diseases, in books which are in the hands of every person.
Finally: in justice to myself, and in extenuation of errors in these Sketches, I must mention, that, when they were preparing for the press, I laboured under many and very considerable disadvantages. I was on duty in a remote corner of the kingdom, and have been, necessarily from the same reason, at a distance from the press, since, and while the printing went on: circumstances which, I hope, will conciliate the indulgence of readers in general, and shield me from the severity of criticism.
MEDICAL SKETCHES, &c. &c.
PART I.
In complying with the orders of government in India, I have sincere pleasure in being able, from original documents, to present them with a correct account of the diseases and mortality which occurred in their army during the late expedition to Egypt. From the period of the first sailing of the expedition, and my appointment to the medical superintendance of it, I retained both the reports of the different medical gentlemen employed in it, and my own memorandums written on the spot. During the period in which Dr Shapter acted, and until I was re-appointed, I likewise kept states of the sick and mortality of the army, and thereafter, till the return and landing of every corps of the army at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, or at Ceylon.
The India government has ever been peculiarly anxious about every thing that related to the health of their troops, zealous in collecting any fact and circumstance touching the causes of diseases or the means of obviating them, and most liberal in every thing that regarded the health of the sick soldier.