Volume 2

An account of the experiment made at the desire of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on board the Union hospital ship, to determine the effect of the nitrous acid in destroying contagion, and the safety with which it may be employed. In a letter addressed to the Right Hon. Earl Spencer / [James Carmichael Smyth].

  • Smyth, James Carmichael, 1741-1821.
Date:
1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the experiment made at the desire of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on board the Union hospital ship, to determine the effect of the nitrous acid in destroying contagion, and the safety with which it may be employed. In a letter addressed to the Right Hon. Earl Spencer / [James Carmichael Smyth]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Euftaphia, and having ordered the ports, fcuttles, and hatchways to be clofe {hut up, with the {hip’s company between decks, we fumigated her for the firft time, and con¬ tinued it morning and evening on the fol¬ lowing day, in the fame manner that we had done the Union hofpital fhip. This fhip has of late lent more Tick with the malignant fever to the hofpital, than all the reft taken together, of the Ruffian fquadron laying at this port, which her Commander, Capt, Sinavin, attributes in a great meafure to her ftungle ballaft being chiefly compofed of fand, intermixed with a large portion of wet earth, that keeps up a conftant moifture and dampnefs below, in fpite of every means of ventilation: add to this the putrid ftench, arifing in fo clofe and crouded a fltuation from the /hubs or fheep-fkin great-coats, which are generally wore by the Ruffian feamen, with the woolly fide next their body, and which undoubtedly muft aid to nourifh C 4 the