#822.) Dr. Trotter on 
century, quackery could tower with 
such effrontery.* 
" At this period, I had the good luck 
to draw the attention of the. com- 
mander-in-chief to the Royal Hospi- 
tals. Who could think with satisfac- 
tion: of 2,000 seamen, the most incon- 
siderate beings on the face of the 
éarth, being “confined in an hospital 
without a single officer to command 
their obedience. If all the advantages 
that might have been gained were not 
obtained by new- modelling these na- 
tional institutions, stifl much good was 
done. Earl Howe’s bad health com- 
pelled him to retire, and with him 
sunk the sun of improvement and 
reform, 
Many important changes were now 
made in the medical discipline of the 
Ship. The detestable _perquisite of 
15s, for the cure of venereal disease 
Was. abolished, which, of itself was a 
Saving of many thousand lives. The 
diet of the sick was greatly improved, 
and a foundation Jaid for. bringing 
every. thing connected with health 
into system, so as to receive every 
oct am step of medical know- 
] 
se it cannot be doubted that the 
rm. of nayal war acquired stupendous 
fone by, whatever added to the 
galth ‘of the seamen, and such as this 
country I had not known in any former 
contest. “A minister, in winding up 
e affairs of a nation, on such pre- 
mises as these now detailed, could not 
fail, we should suppose, in holding 
em up. as glories of his administra- 
tion ; for, independant of the acquisi- 
fions, for Saving. lives, uncalculated 
millions of money were saved by 
ithem.. Yet no minister in either 
House of Parliament ever, mentioned 
these triumphs of humanity, though 
they did so much honour to goverip, 
ment. 
Is. it not remarkable, that in a coun- 
bey li e Great Britain, which owes so 
much to its naval ascendancy, matters 
of such yast importance in, the fate of 
war. have ,been, totally overlooked? 
“The Lives of the Admirals,” as be- 
n. by, Dr. Campbell, haye been 
at art down to the end of the last 
war; pitt not the smallest allusion has 
been made to the subjects mentioned 
aboye, and all other ae have 
oe The: King a , be roa 
the fl eet as soon eine 
whieh was fourteen day 
aml visited 
safe, 
dene 
Naval History. 491 
followed the example. Yet my vo- 
lumes onthe diseases of the fleet were 
read by most officers of my own day ; 
and in no:common. language they ac- 
knowledged their opinions, Speaking 
of them, Sir R. Curtis says, “You 
have done more for the navy than the 
most brilliant victory that ever was 
gained.” And Admiral Sir Kdward 
Thornborough gives it as his opinion, 
“You have done more for the navy 
than any man living.’ A hundred 
officers might be quoted who have ex- 
pressed themselves in similar terms. 
Now one of the strongest reasons 
which have induced me to recur to 
these transactions is as follows... At 
the beginning of last French war, the 
supply of the lemon acid to the navy 
was actually suspended for some time. 
On whose authority this was done, I 
know not, or whether it was for the 
sake of economy ; for we have met with 
such men in office, who would “strain 
ata gnat, when they could swallow a 
camel.” ‘This suspension had scarcely 
taken place, when the sturvy began 
to appear in its usual form; and “the 
necessity was admitted of again return- 
ing to the issuinz of the citric acid as 
before. It thus shows how requisite 
it is to instil into the minds of young 
officers all information and knowledge 
connected with their profession, But 
medical books are not the vehicles for 
such intelligence; it ought to come 
from the page of history... , Should the 
peace continue for twenty years, as E 
hope it may, there will not at that 
time be a single admiral, captain, or 
lieutenant, or a single physician, sur- 
feon, or assistant, fit to go to sea on 
duty, that has had the smallest. expe- 
rience of the horrors. to be expected 
from a general scurvy, when there are 
no vegetable supplies for relict’ i in the 
ships. 
As the Monthly Magazine is read by 
every literary person in this country, 
your pages will chance 1o convey infor- 
mation to nayal historians, who may 
deem these animadversionson the health 
of seamen not unworthy of a place in 
their records. And they will instruct 
them where to consult the original do- 
cuments. 1 should be sorry to leave 
any expedient. untried, where the vital 
interests of Ly By val. seryice are so 
much at stak professional la- 
bours i in the Meet were cheered by the 
approving e “of. eyery officer and 
seaman, without. a single exception ; 
while among my medical brethren I 
lived 
