'A voyage from England to India, in the year 1754, and an historical narrative of the operations of the squadron and army in India, under the command of Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, in the years 1755, 1756, 1757 ... Also a journey from Persia to England by an unusual route. With an appendix, containing an account of the diseases prevalent in Admiral Watson's squadron, etc.' [‎450] (503/562)

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Bengal, and in the winter feafon. The Kent it is true loft but few of her
people in this diforder, but the other Ihips of the fquadron buried a great
many which difference, I am perfuaded, was occafioned by the large
quantity of orange and lemon juices that I had preferved in a half hogfhead
during our flay at MaSagafcar, and which I now ordered to be daily given
them in their common liquor.
At this time, not only mofl: of the fad fymptdms of the fcurvy, which
have been fo accurately enumerated by Dr. Lind, made their appearance, but
two others, not mentioned by him, were unfortunately fuperaddedj viz.
the Scrotum in many patients was iwollen to an enormous fize, equal to
that of a globe of 12 inches diameter, and the contents of this fweliing
was water, as appeared upon our tapping the Scrotum. The other un-
ufual effed: was a convulfive fpafm of the inteftines, which fuddenly car
ried off feveral men. Some who were thus attacked, recovered, but
others remained in the moft exquifite torture for twenty-four hours, and
then expired.
From the foregoing obfervations, and from others taken notice of in the
courfe of the narrative, thefe four general inferences are indifputably
clear.
Firft, That (hips bound to the Eaft Indies fhould be as little incumbered
with ftores between decks, as pofTible.
Secondly, That dryed ftock-fidi, which upon the account of hav
ing no fait ufed in the curing of them, are fometimes put on board
our {hips of war, to prevent the fcurvy breaking the amongft our peo
ple, by their foon corrupting and growing putrid, are fo far from an-
fwering the good intention, that on the contrary they are productive of
much evil.
Thirdly, That as but few, if any, of the Kenfs people died in the
fcurvy during our winter's paffage to Bengal, whilft the other (hips of the
fquadron buried many •, io this difference ci.n no other way be ac
counted for, but by the antifcorbutic quality of the orange and lemon
juices. It therefore follows, that if ^government would be fo far at
tentive to this fubje6l, as to order all fhips bound to the Eajl Indies
to ftop at Madagafcar, or any other proper place, and take in. fome
pipes of thefe juices, which might be made up into punch, and ferved
to the feveral crews inftead of grog •, they would certainly be the means
of preferving many liyes, and greatly redound to the emolument of the
nation *,
\
* This obfervation will hold good in every other country that abounds with thefe fruits. See
I)r. Linci\ laft edition of hisTreatife on the Scurvy, p. 541, where my remarks on this inte-
lefting fubjtft are more fully fet faith.
Laftly,