refidence in the place than falls to the lot of moft of them, can enable us to judge with accuracy of their comparative advantages. The fouth of France, Italy, Portugal, I mention them in the order they are ufually propofed to us, are the places of general refort. Wherever the winter is fhorteft, the leaft fevere, and the leaft changeable, every thing elfe being alike, is the most advifeable. To which may be added likewife, the place of the moft eafy accefs. Thus, for inftance, Portugal by fome would be ftrongly objected to, on account of the fea-voyage; whilft others, perhaps, would chufe it for the fake of this eafy conveyance. But if there be just reafon to give one place in the neighbourhood of London, and within the compass of a very few miles, the preference to another, the difficulty of giving advice in this cafe, with the precifion we could with, is too apparent, and it must remain fo, till further obfervations enable us to form a better judgment on this fubject. Of all the places we are acquainted with, perhaps the island of Madeira enjoys the moft equal temperature; but the voyage, and other circumftances attending it, afford very formidable objections. Nice has of late been the general retreat of the English confumptive patients. Some places in the neighbourhood of Marfeilles are alio well spoken of. The neighbourhood of Naples in Italy is alfo much commended; and in Portugal, the vicinage of Lisbon and Cintra, a pleafant fpot, not far from that capital. In all these places regard should be had to fiVOL. XIX. tuation; that it may be dry, near no ftagnant water, not environed with thick woods, where the water is good, and the air free, but not ftormy and impetuous. To thofe who object to the continent, a trial of the western counties of England may be properly recommended: Should it not prove falutary, the paffage by fea to Lif bon from thence is, for the moft part, both fafe and fhort. Even fea-fickness is often beneficial to the confumptive, as well as the fea air. Impaired digeftion, and, not feldom, a redundancy of bile attend thefe cafes; and perhaps repeated mild emetics, fufficient to cleanfe the firft paffages, would often be of use. One great misfortune attending thefe migrations, whether from London or other great cities, into the neighbouring country, or to Bristol and other places in this kingdom, or to the continent, is that, for the moft part, they are undertaken too late, both in refpect to the progrefs of the disease, and the feafon. Instead of removing at a time when a change of air and its confequences might prevent the most ferious evils, they are in hafte to quit their country, when perhaps neither this can be beneficial, nor is the feafon for a journey a proper one. It seems too often to be the fate of confumptive patients, to do that laft, which they ought to have done firft; and by this prepofterous conduct, fhorten their own lives, and afflict all who have any regard for them. It happens not feldom that when their phyficians and their friends have in vain urged their departure at the proper feafon, Ι they they have refolved to fet out on the most fatiguing journies in the depth of winter; by which they are expofed to every kind of inconveniency and hardship; if they efcape with life, they aggravate their difeafe, and too frequently die in the journey, martyrs to their own indifcretion. The benefit of exercise in this diftemper has been strongly urged by many writers; as it has been treated of fo pertinently by Dr. Dickfon, one of your colleagues, I fhall fay little more on the fubject*, It is however evident, that this great auxiliary may be abused, and that confumptive patients may ufe it improperly. They ride out when they ought not, and increase their difeafe through indifcretion. Moderate journies, in temperate feafons, and as much as may be on horseback, are of excellent ufe in confumptive cafes, obferving, at the fame time, exact temperance, both in refpect to diet and liquors, To ride out early in the fpring, in very sharp, or in damp, cold, and foggy weather, and at unfeafonable hours, as, early in the morning, or late at night, is most certainly prejudicial. Hitherto no mention has been made of the ufe and abufe of a milk diet in this diftemper. It may, however, be remarked, that there are conftitutions in which this moft excellent nutriment seems to disagree; a proneness to ge nerate bile, or too ftrong a tendency to acefcency from weak organs of digeflion, both require the phyfician's attention. Whey, either from cows or goats milk, would probably agree best with the former; and time water, added to the milk, would counteract acidity. There is one ufual addition made to milk, which I think fhould either be totally profcribed, or the moft express directions given concerning it. I mean the common addition of rum or brandy to affes or cows milk. Thefe have done more mischief to confumptive patients than any but phyficians can conceive. These additions are moftly committed to the management of fervants; thefe, for the most part, think every thing of this nature cordial, an idea they annex to growing ftrong; and therefore too often give liberal dofes. Ardent fpirits not only heat but coagulate milk, added beyond a certain quantity. By which means the milk difagrees, and the fpirit augments the difeafe. A Relation of fome of the fimple, though most efficacious Means, by which Captain James Cook, under the Divine Favour, preferved himself and his Ship's Company, in all one hundred and eighteen Men, in his last Voyage round the World, in his Majefty's Ship the Refolution; a Voyage of three Years and eighteen Days, and throughout all the Climates, from fifty-two Degrees North, to feventyone South, with the Lofs of only one Man by Disease, and that july fuppofed to have begun before the Ship failed; in a Letter from the Captain to Sir John Pringle, Bart. Prefident of the Royal Society, &c. See Medical Obfervations, vol. iv. p. 2121 Mile-end, SIR, A Mike-nd, March 5, 1776. S many gentlemen have expreffed fome furprize at the uncommon good ftate of health which the crew of the Refolution, under my command, experienced during her late voyage; I take the liberty to communicate to you the methods that were taken to obtain that end. Much was owing to the extraordinary attention given by the Admiralty, in caufing fuch articles to be put on board, as either by experience or conjecture were judged to tend moft to preferve the health of feamen. I fhall not trefpafs upon your time in mentioning all thofe articles, but confine myself to fuch as were found the most useful. a wholefome vegetable food, but, butic, and fpoils not by keeping. in my judgment, highly antifcorA pound of it was ferved to each man, when at fea, twice a week, or oftener when it was thought neceffary. Portable foup, or broth, was another effential article, of which we had likewife a liberal fupply. An ounce of this to each man, or fuch other proportion as was thought neceffary, was boiled with their peafe three days in the week; and when we were in places where fresh vegetables could be procured, it was boiled, with them and with wheat or oatmeal, every morning for breakfast, and alfo with dried pease and fresh vegetables for dinner. It enabled us to make feveral nourithing and wholesome meffes, and was the means of making the people eat a greater quantity of greens than they would have done otherwife. We had on board a large quantity of malt, of which was made fweet-wort, and given (not only to thofe men who had manifeft. fymptoms of the fcurvy, but to fuch alfo as were, from circumfiances, judged to be most liable to that diforder) from one to two or three pints in the day to each man, or in fuch proportion as the furgeon thought neceffary; which fometimes amounted to three quarts in the twenty-four hours. This is without doubt one of the best antifcorbutic fea-medicines yet found out; and if given in time will, with proper attention to other things, I am perfuaded, prevent the fcurvy from making any great progress for a confiderable time: but I am not altogether of opinion, that it will cure it in an advanced ftate at fea. Sour-krout, of which we had alfo a large provifion, is not only 4 Further, we were provided with rob of lemons and oranges; which the furgeon found useful in feveral cafes. Amongst other articles of victualling we were furnished with fugar in the room of oil, and with wheat inftead of much oatmeal, and were certainly gainers by the exchange. Sugar, I imagine, is a very good antifcorbutic; whereas oil, fuch at leaft as is ufually given to the navy, I apprehend has the contrary effect. But the introduction of the moft falutary articles, either as provifion or medicines, will generally prove unfuccefsful, unlefs fupported by certain rules of living. On this principle, many years experience, together with fome hints I had from Sir Hugh Pallifer, I 2 the the Captains Campbell, Wallis, and other intelligent officers, enabled me to lay down a plan whereby all was to be conducted. The crew were at three watches, except upon fome extraordinary occafions. By this means they were not fo much expofed to the weather as if they had been at watch and watch; and they had generally dry cloaths to fhift themfelves when they happened to get wet. Care was alfo taken to expose them as little as poffible. Proper methods were employed to keep their perfons, hammocks, bedding, cloaths, &c. conftantly clean and dry. Equal pains were taken to keep the fhip clean and dry between decks. Once or twice a week fhe was aired with fires; and when this could not be done, she was fmoaked with gunpowder moiftened with vinegar or water. I had alfo frequently a fire made in an iron pot at the bottom 'of the well, which greatly purified the air in the lower parts of the fhip. To this and cleanliness, as well in the fhip as amongst the people, too great attention cannot be paid; the leaft neglect occafions a putrid offenfive smell below, which nothing but fires will remove; and if thefe be not used in time, those fmells will be attended with bad confequences. Proper care was taken of the ship's coppers, fo that they were kept conftantly clean. The fat, which boiled out of the falt beef and pork, I never fuffered to be given to the people, as is customary; -being of opinion that it promotes the fcurvy. I never failed to take in water wherever it was to be pro ́cured, even when we did not feem to want it because I look upon fresh water from the fhore to be much more wholefome than that which has been kept for fome time on board. Of this effential article we were never at an allowance, but had always abundance for every neceffary purpose. I am convinced that with plenty of fresh water, and a clofe attention to cleanlinefs, a fhip's company will feldom be much afflicted with the fcurvy, though they should not be provided with any of the antifcorbutics before-mentioned. We came to few places where either the art of man or nature did not afford fome fort of refreshment or other, either of the animal or vegetable kind. It was my firft care to procure what could be met with of either by every means in my power, and to oblige our people to make ufe thereof, both by my example and authority; but the benefits arifing from fuch refreshments foon became fo obvious, that I had little occafion to employ either the one or the other. Thefe, Sir, were the methods, under the care of providence, by which the Refolution performed a voyage of three years and eighteen days, through all the climates from 52° North to 71° South, with the lofs of one man only by dif eafe, and who died of a complicated and lingering illness, without any mixture of fcurvy. Two others were unfortunately drowned, and one killed by a fall; fo that of the whole number with which I fet out from England I loft only four. &c. I have the honour to be, Sir, Extract of a Letter from Captain. Cook to Sir John Pringle, Bart. dated dated Plymouth Sound, July 7, 1776. I ENTIRELY agree with you that the dearness of the rob of lemons and oranges will hinder them from being furnished in large quantities, but I do not think this fo neceffary; for though they may affift other things, I have no great opinion of them alone. Nor have I a higher opinion of vinegar: my people had it very fparingly during the late voyage; and towards the latter part, none at all; and yet we experienced no ill effects from the want of it. The custom of washing the infide of the fhip with vinegar. I feldom obferved, thinking, that fire and smoke anfwered the purpose much better. fymptoms of the scurvy, but to "fuch alfo as were judged to be the "moft liable to it." Dr. Macbride, who firft fuggefted this pre. paration, was led, as he fays, to the difcovery by fome experiments that had been laid before this Society; by which it appeared, that the air produced by alimentary fermentation was endowed with a power of correcting putrefaction, The fact he confirmed by numerous trials, and finding this fluid to be fixed air, he justly concluded, that whatever fubftance proper for food abounded with it, and which could be conveniently carried to fea, would make one of the beft provifions against the fcurvy; which he then confidered as a putrid disease, and as fuch to be prevented or cured by that powerful kind of antifeptic *. Beer, for inftance, hath always been esteemed one of the beft antifcorbutics; but as that derived all its fixed air from the malt of which it is made, he inferred, that malt itfelf was preferable in long voyages, as it took up lefs room than the brewed liquor, and would keep longer found. Experience hath fince verified this ingenious theory, and the malt hath now gained fo much credit in the navy, that there only wanted fo long, fo healthful, and fo celebrated a voyage as this, to rank it among the mott indifpenfable articles of provifion. For though Captain Cook remarks, that " a proper attention to other CAPTAIN Cook begins his things must be joined, and that Remarks the foregoing Paper, containing a Summary of the Dif covery of the great antifcorbutic Virtues of Wort, by Dr. Macbride; with an Application of the Principles, on which thefe Virtues were firft attributed to Wort, to other vegetable Preparations, parcularly a moft cheap and eafy Beverage ufed with amazing Succefs by the Ruffians, on board their Fleets and in their fails, &c. and to a fimilar Mefs adopted with the fame Succefs by the Captain of an English Man of War. From Sir John Pringle's Difcourfe on the Royal Society's crowning Captain Cook's Paper with Sir Godfrey Copley's Medal. lift of ftores with malt: "Of he is not altogether of opinion, Macbride's Experimental Effays, paim. 1 3 "that |