Cyndi J. (cyndij) reviewed on 7/27/2018 + 1032 more book reviews

Interesting look at how medicine was practiced at sea in the 1700/1800s. There are several first-hand accounts that Druett pulls from - they are all from whaling ships, so we get a better look at that than from the military ships, although she does contrast and compare them. It's amazing how little they could actually do for anything besides a wound. You kind of marvel at it because a lot of what the "doctors" prescribed could also kill you. I would have liked to know a little more chemistry as I didn't really understand many of the ingredients their "cures" came from. One amazing thing to me - I thought that salicin (from willow bark, and where aspirin came from) would be really common but it isn't even mentioned.
There's a longish section on how whales were hunted and killed, but I expect if you're the type to read a book like this, you won't be overwhelmed with horror by the idea.

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