Catalogue description Medical journal of HMS Formidable, from 1 January to 22 April 1844 by Thomas H. Keown,...

Medical journal of HMS Formidable, from 1 January to 22 April 1844 by Thomas H. Keown, surgeon, during which time the ship was employed in the Mediterranean.

Folios 1-4: Copy of daily sick list.

Folio 5: Blank.

Folios 6-12: Edward Wright, aged 19, Boy; sick or hurt, enteritis, latterlly chronic peritonitis and ascites; put on sick list 1 January 1844, sent 7 April 1844 to Malta Hospital and invalided there on 12 April 1844.

Folios 13-16: William Bigg, aged 25, Carpenter’s Crew; sick or hurt, rheumatismus, acute pain in the upper and lower extremities and lumbar region, the wrist joints and right knee were hot and swollen and puffey; put on sick list 29 December 1843, discharged 7 February 1844 to duty.

Folio 17: James Sydie, aged 34, Able Seaman; taken ill at Athens; sick or hurt, aneurisma aorta, while carring his mess mate into the sick bay, he was suddenly attacked with violent hemorrhage from the mouth and nostrils, which deprived him of life in a few minutes; put on sick list 12 January 1844, died 12 January 1844.

Folio 17: W. K. White, aged 46, Carpenter; sick or hurt, fractura fibula, received a blow from a piece of wood, which produced fracture of the right fibula; put on sick list 17 January 1844, discharged 24 March 1844 to duty.

Folio 18: John Brown, aged 48, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, vulnus manus, received a contused wound of the right hand from having it forced into the main topsail block on the mainyard. The fore part of the forefinger was almost stripped off the last phalanges of the middle and ring fingers; put on sick list 5 January 1844, discharged 28 February 1844 to duty, he was invalided on 12 March 1844 and received a pension ticket.

Folios 19-20: Stephen Whitmarsh, aged 42, Ship’s Cook; sick or hurt, peritonitis, of a full habit, complained of violent twisting pain in the umbilical region, some febrile heat of surface and tenderness of abdomen, has passed frequent watery stools; put on sick list 1 February 1844, discharged 8 February 1844 to duty.

Folios 20-25: Joseph Ward, aged 19, Boy; taken ill at Athens; sick or hurt, pericarditis et rheumatismus, of a spare habit and subject to rheumatism. Complained of aching pains in his back and catarrhal symptoms about the head, had severe cough with mucous expectoration and a sense of constriction about the chest; put on sick list 31 January 1844, died 12 February 1844.

Folios 25-36: James Felton, aged 17, Boy; taken ill at Athens; sick or hurt, pericarditis et rheumatismus, of a spare habit and scrophulous, placed on the list with a contusion of the right ankle, on the 11th he complained of pain and swelling of his feet, the knee joints and right arm were painful; put on sick list 9 February 1844, died 5 March 1844.

Folios 36-38: Joseph Holden, aged 34, Gunner’s Mate; taken ill at Athens; sick or hurt, concussio cum ebrietate, brought into the bay in a stated of partial insensibility, it appeared he had just returned from leave on shore completely intoxicated and was trying to go down the ladder from the main to the lower deck, when he fell and struck the back part of his head against the chain cable; put on sick list 29 January 1844, discharged 9 February 1844 to duty.

Folios 38-42: James Sharp, aged 23, Able Seaman; taken ill at Athens; sick or hurt, icterus, a dark complexion and short stature. Complained of pain in the left gastric region, very slightly increased on pressure, had vomited twice, bowels regular; put on sick list 5 March 1844, discharged 16 April 1844 to duty.

Folios 43-46: William Hughes, aged 20, Ordinary Seaman; taken ill at Athens; sick or hurt, rheumatismus, complained of darting pains in his loins and lower extremities, headache, lassitude, indisposition to all exertion, with thickly furred tongue, a hot dry skin and thirst; put on sick list 5 March 1844, discharged 11 April 1844 to duty.

Folio 47: George Percey, aged 28, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, fractura radii, on the 17th December 1842, received a fracture of the radius close to its carpal extremity and discharged to duty on 18 February 1843. He was then able to flexed the fingers a little and with continued attempt on his part promised to be a useful hand. The surgeon stated that since his discharged he refused to make use of his hand; put on sick list 17 December 1842, invalided 12 April 1844.

Folio 47: William Lavis, aged 38, Marine; sick or hurt, varicose ulcers of the right leg since 8th March, there was considerable hemorrhage from these ulcers, incurred by the patient’s neglect, the whole of the lower two thirds of the leg covered with a mass of thickened varicose veins; put on sick list 8 March [1844], invalided 12 April 1844.

Folio 47: James Bray, aged 26, Landsman; sick or hurt, hernia, presented himself with a right inguinal hernia which he received while in the act of lifting part of the chain cable; put on sick list 2 January 1844, invalided 12 April 1844.

Folios 47-48: Thomas Pechell, aged 39, Captain of Top; sick or hurt, rheumatismus, complained of pain in his limbs and joints, slight febrile, tumefaction of the joints ; put on sick list 15 December 1843, sent 7 April 1844 to Malta Hospital.

Folios 49-52: Allan Fallack, aged 24, Ordinary Seaman; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, phthisis, a weak and spare habit of body and affected with mental imbecility. Complained of cough and pain about the chest with slight mucous expectoration, which he had suffered for sometime. He was thrice in the list within the last twelve months with strumous ulcers of the leg which were very tedious in healing. His cough was troublesome at night; put on sick list 16 January 1844, sent 7 April 1844 to Malta Hospital.

Folio 52: Nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal. Folio 53: List of men who received wounds or hurts between 1 January 1844 and 22 April 1844. John Brown (2nd), aged 48, Able Seaman; pension certificate granted on 12 March 1844; nature of hurts, right hand drawn into the main topsail sheet block on the main yard by which he lost the greater part of the last phalanges of the middle and ring fingers, on 5 January 1844. James Bray, aged 23, Landsman; pension certificate granted on 5 January 1844; nature of hurts, while palcing a chock under the chain cable on the lower deck received a right inguinal hernia, on 3 December 1842. George Percey, aged 30, Able Seaman; pension certificate granted on 12 April 1844; nature of hurts, received a fracture of the left radius near its carpal extremity and also injury of the joint as afterwards to impede its action, on 17 December 1842.

Folios 53-56: Surgeon’s general remarks, The surgeon comments that suggestions made to captains for the health of the ship’s company are too often quietly rejected or granted almost as a personal favour. He also pointed out, that it should be imperative that every man on board posseses two or three flannel waist coats and that they be worn next to their skin. Suggests a method to increase ventilation by circulating hot air in the ship. Also includes comments on training required for the new rating of sick berth attendant.