Mission

Based on the waistcoat, I think that was me getting fried, not you. You hinny l'âne en métal.

That's good. I was looking at your user account and I was just about to post that I didn't see anything wrong with it.

Captain Sterling had asked me about drowning a few years ago and I just entered this curious bit of healing ledgermain on the topic from Stephen Bradwell's Helps for Suddain Accidents (1630). It sounds like it might be mighty fine to have been a victim of near drowning based on his diet suggestions. “And now to return to the point: although by the accidents aforesaid, as also by violent stormes, & the darkness of night, too too many following their assayers have beene woefully washed to the shore of suddain death: yet some have bin taken up for dead that with carefull and skilfull asage [assuage?] have recovered both Life the true love of nature,& Health the happinesse of Life. Therefore __ when any one is so found, the first thing to be done is to turne his feete upward, his head and mouth downward, & so to hold or hang him up by the heels, that the water may come out of him againe. If this alone cause him not to cast out the water, and the partie be without sense or motion; then also let some one of the standers by, that is of good discretion, put his finger into the parties throat, or take a feather dipped in Linseed oyle, & thrust it into the throat, turning it round therein, to make him vomit. And in the meanetime, let others help forth the water by stroaking, crushing, and driving his belly and stomacke reasonable hard, from the bottom of his belly toward his throat. If it be cold weather, let all this be done in a warme __ roome before a good fire. After the water is come away, it is good to old strong sweet smelling things to his nose (as Muske, Lignum Aloës, or such like) to warme the Braine, and comfort the Spirits. Also if he remaine senselesse or fainting, his Spirits. Also if he remaine senselesse or fainting, his Spirits are to be recalled and awaked with Ros solis, Aqua Cælestis, or some such comfortable water; and he is to be handled in all points as those use to be that fall in a Swound [swoon]. If by these meanes he recover life, sense, and speech; let him (some two houres after) eat some meat of a hen or chick (if he be able) or els suck the juice of them; and let them be roasted or broiled, rather than any other way dressed (for so doth Alexander Benedictus counsel, li. 7. cap. 3. De Curandis morbis.) And with his __ meat, let him eate Pepper and Sugar, or Pepper and Honey, as he liketh best. He may also eate a roasted egge with pepper in it. But let him not drink at all in 24. houres at the least, & then let it be middle-Beere and white wine mixed together; of which let him him drink but 2. small draughts at a meale, and betwixt meales not at all. This Diet let him observe for a weeke together, keeping himselfe warme and moderately stirring his body immediately before, & an houre after his meate. Also, if the Phyisition see it requisite, other meanes may be used to prevent the coming of a Feavor, or to mitigate, and take it away if it be already come; as also to prevent a Dropsie, which is a likely effect of such a watery cause. The resore by good advice. __ Bloud-letting in the Liver-veyn, Glysters, and other Medicines may be administred. Lastly, if any water e gotten into his Eares; Take Goose grease, and the juice of an Onion, mixe them well together, and drop a little of it bloud-warme into his Eares.” (Bradwell, p.97-101)

I give Robyn some points there. For such a cutsey dog, she didn't give it too cutsey a name. There may be good in her. Although had I known that I could have used that old chestnut joke response to "Does ginger bite?" (So it's probably better this way. Poof! And you're all good.)

Real pirates actually did it all the time. (Thus the odd divide between who we play and who we are rears it's ugly head once again. )

It's done! Surgeon's Journal 2009 Now new and improved with pictures and added insight (cough)! Get a shot of rum and enjoy it! (Personally, I'm going to get a shot of rum and enjoy not having to do any more it!) Oh, and for those of you who are feeling nostalgic (and can really hold your rum) here are the other two. Surgeon's Journal 2008 Surgeon's Journal 2007

Lovely and charming? Boy the odds keep getting longer and longer... (She don't know him very well, do she?)

Yes, but was he talkin' with Davy, whose hair is real wavy, and probably will be for life? (Yes, yes, that's wrong, but that's my version of it.)

Lovely? There are a lot of words I can think of that apply to Stynky, but I gotta' say that I would have run through at least 3000 other words before coming up with 'lovely'. Lovely.

PreCISEly! To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are.

Actually, at every re-enactment I have been to except the last PiP, I have been on a cannon crew. Hmm. Although I think Rats' strained back is more telling than my waning interest in firing cannon. Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention? To the curious incident of Rats in the night-time. Rats did nothing in the night-time. That was the curious incident.

(Perhaps it was madPete in the last panel of the Rum Barrel?) You should really ink those.

Yes. Acting from passion in cases like this often produces questionable results from what I've seen.

I'm about 1/2 an hour away, but this is irrelevant to the case at hand. I am a surgeon, what the heck would I do with a cannon? Now, if we're talking about stolen bone saw...well, I was out of the country on that particular day. What a very strange thing to steal! I mean, what can the market be for a stolen cannon? It might be a terrorist act...no doubt they will want to notify Homeland Insecurity...but we should not jump to any conclusions until we have considered all the facts we can gather. Missus HudSON!

Man, I was going to try and get this for the auction next year (what sailor wouldn't want to have one of THESE in his chest?), but it got too expensive. Ah, well. I'll keep a weather eye... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170425365249&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Oho! A list of ingredients for a Privateering medicine chest from project Gutenburg! Slightly out of period [1742], but the ingredients all look familiar, so it's something. (Thanks to Captain Bo for bringing this link up.) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24882/24882-h/24882-h.htm#DOC_158 I come up with 117 ingredients, although it was just a quick count. That again suggests a much bigger box than many shown in this topic. The destination would guide the list of ingredients which the surgeons felt they needed. Note that I removed a bunch of the instruments to come up with an ingredient count, although the instruments are interesting in a way as well. To wit: a Pewter Glyst. Syringe [boy, the loved their Clysters...being Pewter, they were soft and thus probably easily damaged...particularly the threads.] ... Sponge 2 oz. ... 6 Square Bottles [Note that he specifies the shape.] 4 qt. Bott. [Note that he DOESN'T specify the shape.] 4 Blue and white pots Tow [Linen - makes good sense.] Vials and pots, 1 Doz. 6 Doz. Corks large and small [We were just talking about corking bottles. Here's more proof.] a Box a Broken Red and Do. White Skin [Not sure?] a Mortar and Pestle an Iron Laddie [Probably 'ladle'] a Stone Coffee Pot [a interesting one for you non-surgeons, perhaps]

Oooh! http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24882/24882-h/24882-h.htm#DOC_158 Off to the medicine chest topic...

Good point! @madPete - If so, methinks you should give one of your spies pointy white muttonchops and a more dissolute appearance...

They all sort of look like dandies; flouncy feathers, holding handkerchiefs and...isn't that one guy taking a pinch of snuff?

Well, this puts a fork into my "no leech" argument. I must concede that leeches were almost certainly in wide use during period. "XIII. Hirudines. Leaches supply the Place of Venæsection, where the Veins are small, out of Sight, or dangerous to attempt, such as the Hæmorrhoids, Gums, and temple Ramifications; also old People and Children, when fearful and unfit for other Operation. The slenderest, smoothest, and liveliest are best, taken out of clear running Waters, their Backs greenish, and Bellies reddish. ... On shore they are kept in large Glass Jars full of Water, and shifted every Day to purge well and be ready for use. When used, some advise immediately out of the Water, being then briskest: Others say, keeping them two or three Hours in a Box, will be an Incentive. Chaff the particular Parts [of the body] you set them on, and put the Leach on a clean Piece of Linnen towards it: If good he soon takes, and if not may be invited by smearing a little Pidgeon's Blood. Cutting their Tails when fixed, to let the Blood run through, keeps them longer on; and when you would have them leave off Suction, springle a little salt Ashes, Aloes, or Vinegar at their Heads. Removed, let the Blood continue issuing a little, and then wash the Part clean with warm Wine, Milk and Water; tearing them off violently, leaves a Sting that may create a Fluxion [flowing of blood, I think] and Inflammation. Sometimes the present Flux [flow] is difficult to stop, Mr. Turner, p. 481. tells us, he was forced to use the actual Cautery [burning with metal] to a Child he had apply'd them to. __ The Place where, is according to the Complaint: In Distempers of the Head or Eyes, they are put on the Forehead; Temples, behind the Ears or Neck; in Tooth-achs, to the Gums [there's a visual for ya']; Peristernum in Diseases of the Breast; and Fundament in Hæmorrhoids; if Revulsion be designed, they should be set on the muscular Parts always; for near or on the Joints, the Parts are more exanguous [bloodless], and the Tendons laying superficially may incite more Pain." (John Atkins, The Navy Surgeon, 1742, p. 182-3] I'd have said it was outside of period, but most of his examples are actually within period, so I think we can safely say that leeches were in wider use in the early 1700s, to the point where surgeons argued over whether to use them immediately or not. This much for leeches.

De nada.

Nice artwork. I think she was trying to link a pic of the strip in up there, but it didn't work. For those wanting to start at the beginning of the Celeste storyline, you can view it here.

Rabbit fur? Conies? Pretty cool. Is there evidence that sailors made these? (Just curious.) And I think a fox muff with the head positioned such that it looked like it was swallowing your arm would be hilarious. Inaccurate, but hilarious.

These are exactly the sorts of skills I try to find out about at events. Pirate re-enactors are so interesting! (Although, to be true to the SvS form, the pyrate with the Sterling sign, should have conked the pirates with the Stynky sign after he changed it, causing him to emit an absurd number of stars and Xs while waving the 'victory' fingers. )

Say, you got some good ones, Swalp. Do you mind if I use some of them for the Surgeon's Journal webpage? This is a great photo of Greg. I've never seen him looking so action figure-ish. What was going on here? What crime was Crudbeard being charged with? (Those glasses remind me of the ones that Nazi agents used in WWII. Wicked.)