Medical sketches of the expedition to China / by Alexander Grant.

  • Grant, Alexander, 1947-
Date:
[1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical sketches of the expedition to China / by Alexander Grant. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    If) nevertheless enjoyed a comparative immunity from disease. Another fortnight saw the fleet at anchor off Chusan in the month of July ; this unfortunately is the most unhealthy period of the year, when the climate is peculiarly relaxing, and exposure cannot be undergone with impunity ; the weather was unsettled, sultry, and wet, and only a few days after lauding the troops began to suf- fer from chronic diarrhoea. The regiments were variously loca- ted ; some, as the 18th and 49th Foot, returned for a time on board ship, while the 26th was on the 13th July placed under convass on the steep hill which commands the city on its North-west side, and is distant from the beach about a mile and a half. Early in August the 49th was also encamped on a rugged slope which juts into the bay, and forms the ex- tremity of the western range of hills. The men had to clear the ground, to bring up, and to pitch their tents, as the inhabitants had deserted the town and neighbourhood, and coolies could not be procured. European soldiers were here called upon to perform all the general duties requir- ed of them on service in Europe, while they had to contend against a noxious climate, and an innutritions diet. The consequences soon be- came manifest, and the 26th regi- ment having suffered in the greatest proportion, it may be taken as the best example for elucidating the pro- gress of the sickness. When this corps landed on the 5th of July they left but 15 sick on board their transports ; exactly one month afterwards, on the 4th of August, the sick amounted to 151 ; on 5 th September to 371 with 14 deaths; on 5th October to 563 with 3() deaths; on 5th November to 513 with ninety (tenths. In the tents the Thermometer stood at 90 and 95and both the sick and the healthy had alike only the damp ground to rest upon. On the 1st October, the 26th and 49th regiments were removed from tents and took up their quarters in the de.serted temple.s and houses; here they were sheltered from the incle- mency of the weather, but were de- ficient in much that could contribute to the comfort of the sick; there was a great want of attendants, me- dicines, medical comforts, aud a fresh meat diet, and the construction of the buildings was exceedingly faulty for a Hospital. The sick- ness continued to make steady pro- gress, aud that the seeds of disease were now too deeply sown, and the constitutions of the men almost completely undermined, was too evident from the great increase in the mortality. At length, on the 30th November, the whole of the sick were re-embarked, but it was now too late and no improvement followed, about the same time a large portion of sick were sent on two transports to Manilla, in the hope that the voyage might be of advantage, but the result of this experiment was highly unfavourable, for out of 260 embarked at Chusan 134 died, and of 93 sent to Calcutta 43 died on the voyage; the mortality on board the Ship “ William Wilson,” was even greater, 30 having died out of 53 embarked. Diarrhoea and dysentery were the prevailing diseases, and as the sick were too weak to get into hammocks they had to lie on the deck, which in bad weather was quite wet from the leaky condition of some of the ships, these also were overcrowded and badly provisioned, and it is questionable whether there was not a sacrifice of life through the want of comfort and attendance alone, in- creased no doubt by the defective arrangement for the sick in all trans- port vessels. At the end of 1840 the condition of the 26th llegiment is thus stated,* “ there were at head-quarters in * History of 11. M.’s 26th Regiment “ Canton Repository.”