60 



USE OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERTATIONS TO NAVIGATORS, 



fTioudi ^hr.iT ^^^^ »f doing good is not always sufficient. I consoled my- 

 j^itantageshad self however by reflecting, that 1 had acquired a certainty of 

 ^ en su .ici- ^he advantages of meteorological observations on board ships; 

 and I am still firmly persuaded, that the continuation of si- 

 milar labours, and the particular inspection to which they 

 would have led, would have been of great service during the 

 rest of the voyage; and though they would not have pre- 

 vented the dreadful scurvy, that made such ravages among 

 o-ur crew, they would perhaps have checked its progress. 

 The little good 1 was able to accomplish, while it proves the 

 utility of such experiiivents, will no doubt stamp a due value 

 on the counsels of our naval officers of health, and may thus 

 contribute to the improvement of nautical medicine, too 

 little acquainted hitherto with the assistance it may derive 

 from that application of natural philosophy to the healing 

 art, which Mr, Halle has so successfully pointed out. 

 .AcTvartti'^es of What for instance can be more easy, and at the same time 

 feiving mt te- jnore necessary, than to place in the care of the surgeon of 

 snumenis on every ship a good marine barometer, a few thermometers, 

 feuardalUhips. and a couple of hygrometers ? What series of valuable ob- 

 servations on the constitution of all the climates on the globe, 

 and what important materials for nautical medicine and the 

 science of natural philosophy, would thus be acquired at a 

 trifling expense ! How advantageous also would these instru- 

 ments be to mariners themselves ! I do not speak merely 

 with respect to a more accurate judgment of changes in the 

 atmosphere, which the barometer and hygrometer would fre- 

 «|iiently furnish, and which established the reputation of 

 these instruments with the officers of our expedition ; but 

 with regard to their health, and its preservation. Beside 

 what I have already said, how often, for instance, at an an* 

 rhorage, or when tents were pitched ashore, the changes of 

 the^ weather having^ been shown to be dangerous by our me- 

 teorological instruments, might the crew have been preserved 

 from their effects at a trifling expense, and without incon- 

 jymiKf? lip ven-ience ! Thus at the head of the Bay of Seals, where I 

 teats astvore, observed variations of 20° [36' F.] of temperature an3 33° of 

 humidity within the 24 hours, those of the crew of theNatu- 

 ralisle who slept on shore being almost all attacked with a 

 violent diarrhoea, need we seek any other csius^ for it tha?i 



the 



