REMARKS on the WEST-INDIA Station.
The following remarks upon this subject are important, as they parti∣cularly respect the West-India station.
1. The abuse of spirituous liquors is extremely pernicious every where, but a number of circumstances concur to make it particularly so here. Rum is not only cheap and easily procured, but that which is sold to sailors is generally of an extremely bad and unwholesome quality. Add to this that this species of debauchery is more hurtful in a hot than in a cold or temperate climate. No pains should therefore be spared to keep such rum from them, and care should be taken that they be supplied with what is old and sound. A water or two more should be added to the grog in this climate, or wine should be served in place of it.
2. Seamen should be allowed to go on shore as little as possible, especi∣ally at night, for they are here exposed not only to the land air from marshes that are generally near the shore, and thereby catch intermittent fevers, but they find the means and opportunity of getting drunk. The sure and natural remedy of these evils is to prevent them as much as possible from going ashore, and on no account to permit them to stay all night. Many valuable lives would be saved by each ship hiring a boat's crew of negroes or others seasoned to the climate for the purpose of wooding and watering. It most commonly happens that part of the ship's company are under the necessity of performing these duties, and in this case they will be preserved from harm by each man taking half a wine glass or less of the tincture of Peruvian bark before going ashore.† If this is Page 12too expensive, or cannot be supplied in sufficient quantity, any bitter tincture, or even a dram of plain spirits, will in some measure answer the same purpose.
3 The cold bath, especially in the morning, before the heat is intense and the perspiration profuse, has been found of the utmost benefit in pre∣serving health in hot clinates. Those who have had the perseverance to make their men practice it, have been amply rewarded for their trouble by their ship's company remaining healthy. I could name instances of this fact both in the East and West-Indies.
4. Care should be taken not to harrais men too much with labour or other hardships upon first coming to this climate, for these are favourable to the attack of the fevers and fluxes with which almost all ships are more or less seasoned upon their first arrival.
5. As men are more subject to sickness in port than at sea, this might be remedied by making the ship ride with a spring upon the cable, and by making her lie as much out of the lee of the land as is safe and con∣venient, especially where the adjacent shore is muddy or swampy. This last circumstance is in some situations of the utmost consequence, and a hundred fathoms in a road has been known to make a most essential dif∣ference in the Lealth of a ship's company.
