Folios 38-41: Surgeon's general remarks. Since he has nothing to add to his comments...

Folios 38-41: Surgeon's general remarks. Since he has nothing to add to his comments in his preceding journal as to the running of the ship and the supply of necessaries to the sick men, the surgeon's remarks summarize the preceding twelve months and then concentrate on particular diseases. July was spent mostly at sea, the weather was hot, clear and breezy, the visit to Syracuse Harbour was very beneficial to cases of scurvy and ulcers. Mainly fevers on the sick list. August was cooler than usual and the action against the French fleet in Aboukir Bay put many wounded on the list. Most wounds healed well. There were many catarrhal fevers about the middle of August, sometimes with pulmonic inflammation and delirium, sometimes ending in intermittent fevers or dysentery. All cases had a troublesome cough. The ship was very damp from a leak and wet timber being brought on board. September was hot and sultry, the ship mostly at sea, catarrhal fevers prevailed and then intermittent fevers and dysentery. In October the ship called at Rhodes and the crew could go ashore, there were dysentery cases, bad accidents and abscesses, also some severe pulmonic inflammation. Upon returning to Aboukir Bay, unsuccessful attacks on the castle and a small enemy camp resulted in more wounded. November and December were spent at anchor in the bay. The flux increased and became more obstinate, the Nile water adding to the frequency and severity. From January on the crew were on short allowance of food, although fresh lemons were always available and sometimes fresh meat, so there was no scurvy. Weather was cold and rainy, continued and intermittent fevers and pulmonic inflammations prevalent. February to the 20th March, spent at sea, some intermittent fevers, dysentery and pulmonic inflammations. End of March at Syracuse or Palermo, some continued fevers and flux. April at sea, weather fine, pulmonic inflammations, intermittent fever and dysentery. Also some venereal cases appeared through women being allowed on board at Palermo. May to July spent off Proscita, at Palermo and in the Bay of Naples; continued fevers with some large abscesses, others with inflammatory affection of the throat, then fluxes and some venereal cases. Comments on the types of diseases, including; continued fevers; flux; scurvy, although there was none because there were always fresh lemons; ulcers; wounds and accidents; inflammatory diseases; intermittent fevers and the cases of dropsy and the gravel. Mention is made of the man who died from flux having a pale complexion and so more likely to suffer with dysentery than someone with a darker complexion. Yellow bark and adhesive straps are effective against ulcers and the bark was also useful against intermittent fevers if given before the onset of paroxysms. Twenty cases of wounds and accidents are numbered in the abstract but the actual number was much greater, only the worst are recorded in the journal. Signed, James Dalziel.