Folios 76-78: Robert Cruikshank, aged 26, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, musket ball...

ADM 101/83/1/6

1826-1828

Folios 76-78: Robert Cruikshank, aged 26, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, musket ball wound of leg. Put on sick list, 20 October 1827, Navarino Harbour. Discharged to duty, 19 February 1828. Had a musket ball wound of the left leg, the ball entered at the head of the fibula, passed round the front of the tibia and down the leg and lodged about four inches from where it entered. It could be distinctly felt but was firmly lodged and found to be jagged, so it was thought expedient not to touch it. On 25 October 1827 he was moved to a cot in the sick berth. On the 3 November 1827 a small piece of the fibula came away and he was removed to Fort Ricasole. Over the next few days more pieces of bone appeared but not the musket ball and he was brought back on board. The wound heals and the Surgeon comments that this is proof that if musket balls are not in an important situation, it is better to allow them to remain than further lacerate the patient in an extraction. However, the wound soon reappeared and ulceration and discharge followed, but it was nearly healed by the time the ship was paid off on 19 February 1828.

Folio 78-79: David Bland, aged 27, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, amputated right arm. Put on sick list, 20 October 1827, Navarino Harbour. Discharged 'perfectly well', 19 February 1828. A musket ball wound through the right elbow joint, the bones composing which much comminuted, rendered necessary amputation of the limb 'at the usual place' above the elbow. Was doing well until returned to the ship from Fort Ricasole, when the wound reappeared and slowly improved afterwards until he was discharged when the ship was paid off. Signed, Robert P Hillyer, Surgeon His Majesty's Ship Albion in Portsmouth Harbour, 19 February 1828.

Folio 79: Abstract of the preceding journal, being a summary of all the cases contained therein, nosologically arranged. Lists diseases and the numbers of suffers of each; 106 in total, with 37 sent to the hospital, 3 died on board and 4 invalided. The biggest totals are 29 against vulnus [wounds] and 15 against pneumonia.

Folios 80-81: Form of a list to be made out of men who have received wounds or hurts between 1 October 1826 and 19 February 1828. Lists 43 cases of wounds or accidents, giving name, age, quality and number in the ship's books [the ship's muster book, ADM 37/6799], with a brief description of the injury and whether a pension certificate was granted or not. With one case, Henry Christian, aged 17, not detailed in the journal.

Folios 82-84: General Remarks. Remarks that only three fatalities occurred on board during the period covered; one from pneumonia, one from fever and the third from tetanus. At Lisbon fever was virtually unknown but pneumonia, catarrhal affections and rheumatism were evident. Perhaps attributable to the difference in temperature between day and night and to the men coming on deck at night sometimes dressed only in their shirts, in spite of being warned not to. There are comments on pneumonia, phthisis, phlegmasia, hepatitis, abscesses, boils etc, of which there were numerous cases but unnecessary to detail. There were far fewer chronic cases of disease than in the periods covered in previous journals. Those injured at the battle of Navarino were treated successfully and the only fatality, John Key, died before the ship arrived at Malta. Of the 70 cases from the whole squadron treated at Fort Ricasole there was not a single death. This was probably due to the season, the daytime temperature varying between 56 and 71. The Albion left 4 cases at Fort Ricasole and 5 more still under treatment were sent to Haslar. The men who had arms amputated were discharged at the paying off of the ship. The Surgeon remarks on the power of the mind over disease, noting that on the morning of the battle there were 28 on the sick list, all of them went to their quarters and few of them reported sick again afterwards. The ship had been a healthy and well disciplined ship, the sick list on average about 15 or 16, maximum 60 and on some occasions less than 10. It has been impossible to prevent drunkenness, the ship spending so much time in port but every attention was paid to cleanliness. The winter of 1826 -27 was cold for Lisbon and in August 1827, at Malta and at Vourla, the heat was severe. The heat did not affect the health of the ship. For the voyage back to England, in winter and after 2 ½ years in the Mediterranean, every precaution was made to make the people provide themselves with proper clothing, but the weather was unusually fine, with neither gales nor rain. Signed, Robert P Hillyar Surgeon Portsmouth, 19 January 1828

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