The Seaman's Medical Advocate

Written by a naval surgeon in 1798 this medical treatise provides a frank and harrowing account of life in the British navy. Elliot Arthy started his career as a surgeon''s mate in the Africa and West Indies merchant service. He eventually became a surgeon and worked on a slave ship for many years. In this publication he shows that at least 5000 seamen were lost to Britain annually through yellow fever and other illnesses a loss the nation could little afford during wartime. Stressing the ''absolute necessity'' for naval surgeons Arthy''s treatise is divided into six parts: the first examines the nature and causes of yellow fever; the second discusses how seamen come into contact with the disease; the third focuses on other causes of the loss of seamen on board ships of war; the fourth on statistics. The fifth and sixth parts suggest methods of prevention.