Scurvy on Anson's voyage round the world (1740-1744)

Scurvy on Anson’s voyage round the world (1740-1744) Summary by James Lind (1772) In 1740 to 1744, Commodore George Anson led a squadron of eight ships on a mission to disrupt or capture the Spanish possessions in the Pacific. The voyage was notable for its horrific losses, with only 188 men of the original 1,854 crew and officers surviving. Most of the deaths were due to scurvy. Out of the eight ships, only one ship completed the voyage. An account of the voyage was published in 1748. This is a summary of scurvy on Anson’s voyage by James Lind in his Treatise on the Scurvy (1772). James Lind1 dedicated his Treatise of the Scurvy (1st and 2nd eds.) to Lord Anson: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/bg2gxrzz/items?canvas=9 First ed. 1753. https://archive.org/details/treatisescurvyt00lind/page/ii/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/b30507054/page/n7/mode/2up https://wellcomecollection.org/works/hkvrjpk9/items?canvas=7 Second ed. 1757. https://archive.org/details/b30515622_0001/page/n5/mode/2up https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ucm.5320216015&seq=7 Lord Anson, who was at the time First Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, was probably responsible for getting Lind appointed in 1758 chief Physician to the new Royal Naval Hospital – Haslar Hospital.2 Yellow is used to indicate the more important sections such as the symptoms of scurvy. This text is available at: https://doi.org / 10.5281/zenodo.17397301 2025-10-20 This annotated version was prepared by: Harri Hemilä, University of Helsinki, Finland https://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/hemila https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4710-307X https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=hemila+h https://scholar.google.fi/citations?user=2mkomzUAAAAJ https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17085738 Reports on scurvy uploaded to Zenodo by Harri Hemilä 1 Selections of Lind’s texts, and links to digitized books, and links to numerous biographies on Lind: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10685194 2 Guthrie D, Meiklejohn AP. James Lind and Some of his Contemporaries. 1953. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10605213 Stockman R. James Lind and Scurvy. Edinb Med J. 1926 Jun;33(6):329-350. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5302666 “In the 1740s, it [Haslar Hospital] was the largest hospital in the world, and the largest brick-building in Europe.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Hospital_Haslar https://www.royalhaslar.com/history https://www.jameslindlibrary.org/articles/the-royal-hospital-haslar-from-lind-to-the-21st-century 1 Anson’s voyage round the world by Walter A voyage round the world, in the years 1740, 41, 42, 43, 44, by George Anson, Esq.; now Lord Anson, commander in chief of a squadron of his Majesty’s ships, sent upon an expedition to the South seas. Compiled from his papers and materials, by Richard Walter,3 M.A. &c. Walter’s book has been extensively digitized with over 20 versions available: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16611 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/47130 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001876458 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007704451 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007704739 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008588406 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100257915 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100258501 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100262904 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100263006 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100264667 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100264669 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100278130 https://archive.org/details/voyageroundworld00walt/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/voyageroundworld00walt_0/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/voyageroundworld00walt_1/page/n3/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/voyageroundworld00walt_2/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/voyageroundworld00waltuoft/page/n9/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/gri_33125011256381/page/n3/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.42984/page/n7/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/voyageroundworld0000walt/page/n7/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cihm_17410/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cihm_18288/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cihm_27757/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cihm_27900/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cihm_32030/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cihm_32032/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cu31924023252152/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/voyageautourdum00waltgoog/page/n2/mode/2up (French) https://archive.org/details/cihm_17436/page/n7/mode/2up (French) https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_GGNYAAAAcAAJ/page/n5/mode/2up (German) https://archive.org/details/desherrnadmirals00walt/page/n5/mode/2up (German) https://archive.org/details/reizerondsomdewe00walt/page/n5/mode/2up (Dutch) Book reviews: https://doi.org/10.2307/1784959 https://www.jstor.org/stable/40559079 https://www.jstor.org/stable/513976 https://www.jstor.org/stable/566242 https://doi.org/10.2307/1784959 3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Walter_(chaplain) 2 Other texts related to Anson and Anson’s voyage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Anson,_1st_Baron_Anson https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/anson-george-1697-1762 https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Anson-Baron-Anson https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-13991 https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-13990 https://the-past.com/feature/master-and-commander/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Anson%27s_voyage_around_the_world https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2023/august/ansons-voyage https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc9662994 The life of George, Lord Anson, by Sir John Barrow4 (1839) https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005794396 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100263876 https://archive.org/details/lifeofgeorgelord00barr/page/n11/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/lifegeorgelorda02barrgoog/page/n3/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/lifegeorgelorda00barrgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/lifegeorgelorda01barrgoog/page/n10/mode/2up The life of Admiral Lord Anson, the father of the British navy, 1697-1762, by Walter Vernon Anson (1912) https://archive.org/details/lifeofadmirallor00anso/page/n1/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/lifeofadmirallor00ansouoft/page/n9/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/cu31924027914807/page/n9/mode/2up https://www.jstor.org/stable/44990111 The prize of all the oceans: Commodore Anson’s daring voyage and triumphant capture of the Spanish treasure galleon, by Glyn Williams5 (2001) https://archive.org/details/prizeofalloceans0000will_o5i8 https://archive.org/details/prizeofalloceans0000will_n9v8 https://doi.org/10.25290/prinunivlibrchro.64.2.0289 https://doi.org/10.1177/084387140001200278 https://doi.org/10.2307/4053467 https://www.jstor.org/stable/40108612 https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780670891979 Documents Relating to Anson’s Voyage Round the World, 1740-1744, by Glyndwr Williams (1967) https://www.navyrecords.org.uk/documents-relating-to-ansons-voyage-round-the-world-1740-1744/ https://read.dukeupress.edu/hahr/article/48/4/699/157913/Documents-Relating-to-Anson-s-Voyage-Round-the https://doi.org/10.1086/ahr/73.5.1525 https://doi.org/10.2307/2510937 https://doi.org/10.2307/1851436 https://doi.org/10.2307/1796436 4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Barrow,_1st_Baronet 5https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyndwr_Williams 3 Commodore Anson’s voyage into the South seas and around the world, by Boyle Somerville6 (1934) https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001270905 https://doi.org/10.2307/1786821 Anson: Royal Naval Commander and Statesman, 1697-1762, by Anthony Bruce (2023) https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/library/rmgl-157746 https://www.naval-review.com/book-reviews/anson-royal-navy-commander-and-statesman-1697-1762/ https://tnm.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/1177/1132 Anson’s Navy: Building a Fleet for Empire 1744-1763, by Brian Lavery (2022) https://www.usni.org/press/books/ansons-navy https://www.jstor.org/stable/48732049 Log of the Centurion: Based on the Original Papers of Captain Philip Saumarez on Board HMS Centurion, Lord Anson's Flagship during His Circumnavigation, 1740-44, by Leo Heaps (1973) https://doi.org/10.2307/1796542 Anson’s Voyage, by L. A. Wilcox (1969) https://doi.org/10.2307/1796343 Admiral Lord Anson, by S. W. C. Pack (1960) https://doi.org/10.2307/1921193 Art and War in the Pacific World: Making, Breaking, and Taking from Anson's Voyage to the Philippine-American War, by J. M. Mancini (2018) https://www.jstor.org/stable/26739798 https://www.jstor.org/stable/26861099 https://www.jstor.org/stable/48543037 https://www.jstor.org/stable/48771568 An affecting narrative of the unfortunate voyage and catastrophe of his Majesty’s ship Wager,7 one of Commodore Anson’s squadron in the South Sea expedition, by Unknown (1751) https://archive.org/details/affectingnarrati00unkn/page/n5/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_an-affecting-narrative-o_1751 6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyle_Somerville 7https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Wager_(1739) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wager_Mutiny 4 The text below is from James Lind’s Treatise on the Scurvy (1772; 3rd ed) p. 440-448. https://archive.org/details/treatiseonscurvy1772lind/page/440/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/b30511902/page/440/mode/2up https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ucm.5320216006&seq=464 https://wellcomecollection.org/works/r7fpbavt/items?canvas=462 1748. A voyage round the world, in the years 1740, 41, 42, 43, 44, by George Anson, Esq; late Lord Anson, commander in chief of a squadron of his Majesty’s ships, sent upon an expedition to the south seas. Compiled from his papers and materials, by Richard Walter, M. A. &c. Soon after our passing straits Le Maire,8p.440 the scurvy began to make its appearance amongst us: and our long continuance at sea, the fatigue we underwent, and the various disappointments we met with, had occasioned its spreading to such a degree, that, at the latter end of April, there were but few on board who were not in some degree afflicted with it; and in that month no less than forty-three died of it on board the Centurion.9 But though we thought, that the distemper had then risen to an extraordinary height; and were willing to hope, that as we advanced to the northward, its malignity would abate: yet we found, on the contrary, that, in the month of May, we lost near double that number. And as we did not get to land till the middle of June, the mortality went on increasing; so that, after the loss of above 200 men, we could not at last muster more than six fore8https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Maire_Strait https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-202483 9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Centurion_(1732) https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-66403 https://warhistory.org/@msw/article/60-gun-centurion-of-1732 5 mast men in a watch, capable of duty. This disease, so frequently attending all long voyages, and so particularly destructive to us, is surely the most singular and unaccountable of any that affects the human body. p.441 Its symptoms are unconstant and innumerable, and its progress and effects extremely irregular: for scarcely any two persons have the same complaints; and where there hath been found some conformity in the symptoms, the order of their appearance has been totally different. However, though it frequently puts on the form of many other diseases, and is therefore not to be described by any exclusive and infallible criterions; yet there are some symptoms which are more general than the rest, and occurring the oftenest, deserve a more particular enumeration. These common appearances are, large discoloured spots dispersed over the whole surface of the body; swelled legs; putrid gums; and above all, an extraordinary lassitude of the whole body, especially after any exercise, however inconsiderable and this lassitude at last degenerates into a proneness to swoon, on the least exertion of strength, or even on the least motion. This disease is likewise usually attended with a strange dejection of spirits; and with shiverings, tremblings, and a disposition to be seized with the most dreadful terrors on the slightest accident. Indeed it was most remarkable, in all our reiterated experience of this malady, that whatever discouraged our people, or at any time damped their hopes, never failed to add new vigour to the distemper: for it usually p.442 killed those who were in the last stages of it, and confined those to their hammocks who were before capable of some kind of duty. So that it seemed, as if alacrity of mind, and sanguine thoughts, were no contemptible preservatives from its fatal malignity. But it is not easy to complete the long roll 6 of the various concomitants of this disease. For it often produced putrid fevers, pleurisies, the jaundice, and violent rheumatic pains. And sometimes it occasioned an obstinate costiveness; which was generally attended with a difficulty of breathing; and this was esteemed the most deadly of all the scorbutic symptoms. At other times the whole body, but more especially the legs, were subject to ulcers of the worst kind, attended with rotten bones, and such a luxuriancy of fungous flesh as yielded to no remedy. But a most extraordinary circumstance, and what would be scarcely credible upon any single evidence, is, that the scars of wounds which had been for many years healed, were forced open again by this virulent distemper. Of this there was a remarkable instance in one of the invalids on board the Centurion, who had been wounded above fifty years before at the battle of the Boyne:10 for though he was cured soon after, and had continued well for a great number of years past; yet, on p.443 his being attacked by the scurvy, his wounds, in the progress of his disease, broke out afresh, and appeared as if they never had been healed. Nay, what is still more astonishing, the callus of a broken bone, which had been compleatly formed for a long time, was found to be hereby dissolved; and the fracture seemed as if it had never been consolidated. Indeed, the effects of this disease were in almost every instance wonderful. For many of our people, though confined to their hammocks, appeared to have no inconsiderable share of health; for they eat and drank heartily, were chearful, and talked with much seeming vigour, and with a loud strong tone of voice; and yet on their being the least moved, though it was 10 “the Battle of the Boyne was the largest engagement ever to take place on Irish soil.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Boyne https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/battle-boyne https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Boyne 7 only from one part of the ship to the other, and that in their hammocks, they have immediately expired. And others, who have confided in their seeming strength, and have resolved to get out of their hammocks, have died before they could well reach the deck. And it was no uncommon thing for those who could do some kind of duty, and walk the deck, to drop down dead in an instant, on any endeavours to act with their utmost vigour; many of our people having perished in this manner, during the course of this voyage. Upon arriving at the island of Juan p.444 Fernandes,11 167 sick persons were put on shore, besides at least a dozen who died in the boats, on their being exposed to the fresh air. The extreme weakness of the sick may be collected from the numbers who died after they got on shore: for it had generally been found, that the land, and the refreshments it produces, very soon recover most stages of the sea-scurvy; yet it was near twenty days after their landing, before the mortality was tolerably ceased: and for the first ten or twelve days, they buried rarely less than six each day; and many of those who survived, recovered by very slow and insensible degrees. Indeed those who were well enough, at their first getting on shore, to creep out of their tents, and crawl about, were soon relieved, and recovered their health and strength in a very short time; but in the rest, the disease seemed to have acquired a degree of inveteracy altogether without example. It was very remarkable what happened to the Gloucester,12 which, like the other ships in that squadron, had suffered the most unparalleled hardships, and buried three fourths of her crew in this disease; that, 11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Fern%C3%A1ndez_Islands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson_Crusoe_Island https://www.britannica.com/place/Juan-Fernandez-Islands 12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gloucester_(1711) 8 upon landing the remainder of her sick, less than eighty in number, very few of them died. Whether it was (as the ingenious author observes) that the farthest advanced in the distemper were already dead, p.445 or the greens and fresh provisions sent on board them when plying off that island, had prepared those who remained for a speedy recovery; their sick, however, in general, got much sooner well than the Centurion’s crew. The havock which this dreadful calamity made in those ships, was truly surprising. The Centurion, from her leaving England, when at this island, had buried 292 men, and had but 214 remaining of her complement. The Gloucester, out of a smaller complement, buried the same number, and had only 82 alive. This dreadful mortality had fallen severer on the invalids and marines than on the sailors: for on board the Centurion, out of fifty invalids, and seventy-nine marines, there remained only four invalids, including officers, and eleven marines; and on board the Gloucester, every invalid died, and only two marines escaped out of forty-eight. In less, however, than seven weeks after leaving the coast of Mexico, having continued in perfect health for a considerable time before, this fatal disease broke out again amongst them. Upon which occasion, the ingenious author makes the following remarks. Some amongst us were willing to believe, that in this warm climate the violence of the disease, and its fatality, might be in p.446 some degree mitigated. But the ravage of the distemper at that time convinced them of the falsity of this speculation; as it likewise exploded other opinions about the cause and nature of this disease. For it has been generally presumed, that plenty of water, and of fresh provisions, are effectual preventives of this malady. But it happened 9