Medical and surgical journal of HMS Hydra for 1 January 1853 to 31 December 1853...

Medical and surgical journal of HMS Hydra for 1 January 1853 to 31 December 1853 by Dr William Loney, Surgeon, during which time the said ship was employed in the Cape of Good Hope Station.

Folios 1-3: Copy of daily sick list.

Folios 4-5: Tables of meteolorogical observations.

Folio 6: case no 1, Robert Clarke, aged 40, Private Marine; disease or hurt, ulcus. Put on sick list, 14 October 1852 at Simon Bay. Sent 11 January 1853 to Naval Hospital at Simon Bay. Rejoined 29 January 1853. He was brought off from the shore on 7 September 1853, in a state of drunkeness, he was absent from the ship 48 hours and was placed on the list for vig: cum tremore. Sent 9 September 1853 to hospital. Rejoined 16 September 1853.

Folio 7: case no 2, John Kendall, aged 28, Stoker; disease or hurt, sprain, pain in the joint and inability to extend the forearm. Put on sick list, 23 January 1853. Sent 28 January 1853 to hospital. Returned 17 February 1853 to the ship.

Folio 7: case no 3, Samuel Deane, aged 25, Subordinate Officer’s Cook; disease or hurt, bronchitis. Put on sick list, 28 January 1853 at Simon Bay. Sent 12 February 1853 to hospital. Invalided 29 April 1853 and sent to England in HMS Vulcan.

Folio 8: case no 4, Mr. George M Comber, aged 23, Acting Lieutenant; disease or hurt, fracture, while in the act of dismounting from his horse at Constantia, by which the right foot dislocated outwards and the fibula fractured. Put on sick list, 26 February 1853. Sent 28 February 1853 to hospital. Rejoined 19 April 1853 on the ship returned from surveying cruise.

Folio 8: case no 5, Robert Hext, aged 33, Stoker; disease or hurt, fracture, while employed turning wheels, was caught on the back by the descending float and double up with his head touching his feet…the accident occurred on the starboard side and was in some measure owing to the skylarking humour of the party in the port wheel who continued to turn round rapidly after the order was given to desist. Killed 28 February 1853 at Simon Bay, he was buried on shore the next day.

Folio 9: case no 6, Benjamin Richards, aged 33, Carpenter’s Crew; disease or hurt, epilepsia. Put on sick list, 20 January 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 23 January 1853 to duty.

Folios 9-10: case no 7, Joseph Dixon, aged 19, Carpenter’s Crew; disease or hurt, abscess. Put on sick list, 13 March 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 20 April 1853 to duty.

Folio 10: case no 8, George Lamsley, aged 19, [Ship’s Steward]; disease or hurt, herpes. Put on sick list, 22 March 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 2 April 1853 cured.

Folio 11: case no 9, Nimrod Buckett, aged 33, Ropemaker; disease or hurt, syphilis and bubo. Put on sick list, 22 February 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 27 March 1853 cured. Re-entered 7 May 1853. Discharged 21 May 1853 to duty.

Folio 12: case no 10, John Herrenden, aged 24, Sailmaker’s Crew; disease or hurt, rheumatism. Put on sick list, 24 March 1853 at sea. Discharged 9 April 1853 to duty.

Folio 12: case no 11, Charles Searle, aged 20, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, dyspepsia. Put on sick list, 29 March 1853 at sea. Discharged 27 April 1853 to duty.

Folios 12-13: case no 12, William Saunders, aged 35, Private Marine; disease or hurt, scrofula. Put on sick list, 16 April 1853 at sea. Remained 31 December 1853 in hospital for survey.

Folio 14: case no 13, William Saunders, aged 37, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, abscess on the ring finger of the right hand. Put on sick list, 16 May 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 11 July 1853 cured but with a stiff finger.

Folio 14: case no 14, Walter Kell, aged 30, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, wound of head over the left parietal received in a drunken brawl. Put on sick list, 13 May 1853 at Simon Bay. Sent 13 May 1853 to hospital. Returned 29 May 1853 to duty.

Folio 14: case no 15, Reuben Apps, aged 46, Ship’s Cook; disease or hurt, spasmic stricture. Put on sick list, 19 May 1853 at sea. Discharged 31 May 1853 cured.

Folio 14: case no 16, Thomas Rowe, aged 28, Captain Coxswain; disease or hurt, bubo with enlargement of the glands in both groins. Put on sick list, 18 Julu 1853 at sea. Sent 4 August 1853 to Royal Naval Hospital at Simon Town. Rejoined 10 October 1853 to the ship with a large cicatrix in the groin still unhealed.

Folio 15: case no 17, John Hudson, aged 36, Stoker; disease or hurt, nephritis. Taken ill on, 1 August 1853 at sea. Sent 10 August 1853 to hospital at Simon Town.

Folio 15: case no 18, Benjamin Rees, aged 28, Stoker; disease or hurt, fractured of the left fibula by a bag of coals. Taken ill on, 25 November 1853 at Simon Bay. Sent 25 November 1853 to hospital at Simon Town. Remained in hospital 31 December 1853.

Folio 15: case no 19, Charles Webb, aged 21, Ordinary Seaman; disease or hurt, syphilis. Under treatment on, 6 October 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 2 November 1853 to duty.

Folios 15-16: case no 20, William Prideanse, aged 21, Able Seaman; disease or hurt, syphilis. Under treatment on, 19 September 1853 at Simon Bay. Discharged 24 October 1853 to duty.

Folio 16: case no 21, William Winter, aged 22, Marine; disease or hurt, anasarca. Put on sick list, 13 December 1853 at Simon Bay. Remained on the list. Folio 16: Table of nosological synopsis of cases mentioned in the journal.

Folio 17: A list of men who received wounds or hurts. William Constable, no on the ship’s book 21, aged 18, Boy 1st Class, Certificate granted, 16 June 1853, fell across the ridge rope while employed aloft. James Black, no on the ship’s book 93, aged 37, Able Seaman, Certificate not granted, phlegmon on the right ring finger (see case no 13). Surgeon’s note that the boy Constable continued to wear a truss… and makes no complaint of any kind and his name was not recorded in the daily sick book for this accident.

Folios 17-20: Surgeon's general remarks. Consisted of 6 parts, first part dealing with the movements of the ship while surveying the coast of South Africa. Second part the Surgeon’s makes a comparison of the cases of sickness during the period of the voyage. Third part the Surgeon’s briefely remarks on cases mentioned in the journal. Fourth part Surgeon’s notes on the case of Robert Hext who was killed on board, and Samuel Deane who was invalided. Also includes remarks about leprosy in the Cape Colony.

Topics

Disease

Navy

Hospitals

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Africa