62 He-appearance of Scurvy 



to the care of the sick, and none could have seen or known 

 Admiral D'TTrville without being convinced of his ability and 

 kindness of heart. 



The history of the French expedition was that of the English 

 navy some years ago ; the condition of the health of the English 

 expedition is due to the system first thoroughly adopted and 

 carried out by Captain Cook. 



In the year 1776, Captain Cook was awarded the gold medal 

 for his paper on the method taken for preserving the health of 

 the crew of the Resolution during her voyage round the world. 



After speaking of the use of malt made into sweet wort, which 

 he thinks one of the best antiscorbutics, he alludes to the use of 

 sour krout, portable soup or broth, fresh vegetables when pro- 

 curable, and the use of the lob of lemons and oranges, which 

 latter he states the surgeon found useful in several cases, and 

 sugar instead of oil, and wheat instead of much oatmeal, he found 

 good exchanges. The paper then contains the following passage : 



" But the introduction of the most salutary articles either as 

 provisions or medicines will generally prove unsuccessful unless 

 supported by certain rules of living. On this principle many 

 years' experience, together with some hints I had from Sir Hugh 

 Palliser, the Captains Campbell, Wallis, and other intelligent 

 officers, enabled me to lay down a plan by which all has to be 

 conducted. The crew were at three watches, except on some 

 extraordinary occasions, by this means they were not so much 

 exposed to the weather as if they had been at watch and watch, 

 and they had generally dry clothes to shift themselves when they 

 happened to get wet. Care was also taken to expose them as 

 little as possible. Proper methods were employed to keep their 

 persons, hammocks, bedding, and clothes, &c, constantly clean 

 and dry. Equal pains were taken to keep the ship clean and dry 

 between decks. Once or twice a week she was aired with fires ; 

 and when this could not be done, she was smoked with gunpowder 

 moistened with vinegar and water. I had also frequently a fire 

 made in an iron pot, at the bottom of the well, which greatly 

 purified the air in the lower parts of the ship. To this and clean- 

 liness, as well in the ship as among the people, too great attention 

 cannot be paid. The least neglect occasions a putrid and offensive 

 smell below, which nothing but fires will remove ; and if these be 

 not used in time, those smells will be attended with bad conse- 

 quences. Proper care was taken of the ship's coppers, so that 

 they were kept constantly clean. The fat which boiled out of 

 the salt beef and pork, I never suffered to be given to the people 

 as is customary : being of opinion that it promotes the Scurvy. 

 I never failed to take in water wherever it was to be procured, 

 even when we did not seem to want it ; because I look upon fresh 

 water from the shore to be much more wholesome than that 



