Dr. Mac Culloch on Malaria on Ship-board. 65 



ignorance of the days in which these places were chosen, hav- 

 ing combined with their convenience, while, in too many of 

 them, modern nations have neglected those remedies or means 

 of improvement respecting which the ancients showed so much 

 anxiety. 



In practice, it is the duty of the commanders of ships to 

 avoid all that can be avoided respecting communication with 

 the shore, through the landing of men, and particularly in per- 

 nicious spots, or at dangerous hours ; while an enumeration of 

 the former would comprise the geography of half the sea-ports 

 of the globe. In ships of war particularly, where this really 

 can be effected, men ought never to be permitted on shore upon 

 leave at night, nor even officers, though the hazard to them is 

 less; and when it is supposed, as is not uncommon, that the 

 men affected with fever, have caught a contagious fever from 

 improper communication, it will be found that the disease is 

 simply the marsh fever thus induced. Thus, also, ships of war 

 can procure their stores from the depots and dock-yards, as 

 for example, at Port Royal, Jamaica, and at St. Lucia, through 

 launches or shore boats, by means of natives or negroes im- 

 passive to the effects of malaria ; and in this way can such 

 vessels often avoid anchoring, at least near to the shore, or 

 even contrive to run out to sea every night. How far merchant 

 vessels can attend to these precautions must depend on the 

 nature of their particular affairs with the shore and on the 

 strength of their crews ; very materially also it will depend on 

 the character of the captain — on his discernment, docility, 

 humanity, and the interest he may feel for his owners. But 

 I need not pursue what I have here said through details more 

 minute, as the ramifications ought not to be difficult to conceive. 



And this is not speculative matter : the practice in question 

 has been tried by many enlightened and active officers, when 

 their own discernment had taught where the danger lay, and 

 with the most marked success. I need not quote more than two 

 instances, though I could easily accumulate many more. The 

 first is the case of Captain Smyth, well known through his 

 account of Sicily, and his long and laborious surveys in the 

 Mediterranean ; and so successful did these several attentions 

 prove, that he did not lose a man, or suffer from a fever during 



JULY— SEPT. 1828. F 



