The Mercury Crew

[Capt. Sterling]

Some where out in bookland, there is an account of an officer having a trepanation(sp) done on him after the Battle of Bunker Hill... he insisted on watching the entire operation and did... geeze I must have read this account about thirty years ago... a bunch of tough bastards back then.

[Iron Jon]

Here's a better view of the actual device:

You think you could clean and sterilize the instrument before taking a picture of it. Or at least a quick rise in some Rum to get rid of that excess brain matter inside!

[Misson]

Well, that's a photo of an actual period device, so the rust is from age.

However, sterilization was not actually appreciated as a medical concern until the late 19th century. During the GAoP, 'bad air' was largely believed the transmitter of disease, not dirty medical instruments. So surgeons did not concern themselves with cleaning their instruments between patients.

[More detailed and potentially boring history follows]

One of the first surgeons to suggest that antiseptic procedures would reduce disease was Dr. Charles White. He figured out that puerperal (childbed) fever infected women who had just given birth. Epidemics of puerperal fever raced through hospital births attended by doctors resulting in high maternal death rates. In 1773, White recommended that "the patient should often be supplied with clean linen; for cleanliness, and free, pure, and in some cases cool air..." (Not knowing about micro-biology, he still believed that bad air contributed to the disease.) In a later edition of his book in 1784 he added that "good effects I have experienced from emollient or antiseptic injections into the uterus, by means of a large ivory syringe or an elastic vegetable bottle." He further said, "Whenever a patient has recovered from this fever and is removed into another room the bedding and curtains should be washed, the floor and woodwork should be cleansed with vinegar, and it would still add to the salubrity of the apartment if it was stoved with brimstone." (This procedure was sometimes used on Naval ships during the late 17th and early 18th centuries to prevent "ship's fever." In fact, White felt puerperal fever was an extension of ship's or gaol fever. However, White was largely ignored.

Because the link between cleanliness and puerperal fever was so obvious, physicians continued to suggest anti-septic procedures for childbirthing. Scottish physician Alexander Gordon advocated hand and clothes washing for obstetricians in 1795. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes (the father of the celebrated Supreme Court Justice) suggested the spread of puerperal fever was by unwashed doctors in 1843. The Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweiss made the same discovery in 1847.

However, it wasn't until Joseph Lister, drawing upon Louis Pasteur's work wrote a paper suggesting antiseptics were needed to clean physician's hands and instruments to prevent the spread of infections in 1867. He was largely reviled by doctors of the period and his theory discounted for awhile. Anti-septic procedures didn't really begin to take hold until about 1870. They weren't widely embraced until the 1890s.

So that's the long story of why an instrument wouldn't be cleaned during the GAoP - or even until long after.

[William Brand]

Even now, if someone had to trephine my skull, I still might not be concerned with the cleanliness of the tool above the act itself. Still, I wouldn't let anyone but Mission carve a hole in my head, drunk or sober.

[Captain Jim]

People have been telling me for years that I already have a hole in my head, several in fact, so no worries here. Don't need another.

[Iron Jon]

I've been putting together a few more things for my 'carpenter's mate' impression.

I made this ship's tool chest from some scrap wood left over from a neighbors deck construction.

... and here are some more old tools that I've picked up at the local flea market and on eBay. I need to get the rest of my stuff out of the storage unit and see what else I still have.

[michaelsbagley]

That is a nice chest, and those are some even better looking tools!

Great finds!

[Capt. Sterling]

Must agree with Mr. Bagley... very nice indeed Iron Jon.

[William Brand]

Excellent finds, Mister Washbourne. Here is a link you might like, should you not already have it.

http://www.historicgames.com/lathes/tools.html

And for Mission...

Leonardo da Vinci online...

Anatomical Teaching Model of a Pregnant Woman by Stephan Zick, 1639-1715 (Wood and ivory)

[Iron Jon]

Thanks William, there's some good info there.

I'm in the process of rebuilding my shave horse and spring pole lathe so I can bring them along too. The ones I built before were with regular Home Depot lumber and modern screws and hardware. I'm remaking them using landscape lumber and pegging them together so I can take them apart for travel.

If anyone knows where I can find a set of period style, wood handled, chisels and gouges at a decent price let me know!!! I need to replace my more modern pieces. They go quick on eBay and I haven't been able to get some low enough yet.

The tool chest I built also doubles as my workbench. As pictured, I can use it with a stool and up on end it's the perfect height to work standing up.

I guess I'll have to take the rest of the seats out of the old van this year to get all my stuff to Key West.

[William Brand]

With PIP not to far off yet, from a projects point of view, should we consider any large scale additions to the camp? Shall we pool our resources again and have some lamps built just for the crew? We could do a run of sailor bags with the wings of the Mercury emblazoned on them. We might do matching small arms. We could have some crockery made.

Is there any group item we might all carry in a personl kits that some of you would like to see at this year's PIP?

[Capt. Sterling]

More wings? We already use wings to identify our stuff... just a thought.

[Silkie McDonough]

Different set of wings? NO! Just another reason to argue! lol

[Lily Alexander]

With PIP not to far off yet, from a projects point of view, should we consider any large scale additions to the camp?  Shall we pool our resources again and have some lamps built just for the crew?  We could do a run of sailor bags with the wings of the Mercury emblazoned on them.  We might do matching small arms.  We could have some crockery made.

Is there any group item we might all carry in a personl kits that some of you would like to see at this year's PIP?

My apologies for being so quiet these past few months but I have been paying attention.

What type of bags did you have in mind William? Sea bags, haversacks, snapsacks, ditty bags? Hemp or linen? Given the amount of time we have, I would be happy to throw some together for the crew.

The crockery idea sounds interesting.

[William Brand]

Whatever you would be willing to make, actually. Any effort on you part would be appreciated by all, I'm sure. I think a sailor's bag, snapsack or townsman wallet would serve. Any one of these would improve our kits and help create a crew identity.

[Lily Alexander]

hmmm, I saw the wallets last year and was going to try to make one but I ran out of time.

I'll make a bunch of stuff and if anyone has a preferance then just pm me.

[Capt. Sterling]

Different set of wings? NO! Just another reason to argue! lol

Damnation, not arguing Lady... just thought you all would like to look different from us not similar...

[Misson]

Townsman's wallets are cool. However, would a pirate usually have such a thing?

If we were going to have something made, I vote for a tankard of some sort. That's a pirate appropriate item. If not that, how about those lace-up corsets for mugs? I think it was Silkie who had one last year.

[Captain Jim]

oops...See next...

[Captain Jim]

Different set of wings? NO! Just another reason to argue! lol

Damnation, not arguing Lady... just thought you all would like to look different from us not similar...

That's easy...we're the good-looking ones.

[Silkie McDonough]

Hey ...why am I putting myself into the mix here? My goods will have my "seal" on them! They will also have the mark of the crew wot has the better prices!

[Capt. Sterling]

That's easy...we're the good-looking ones.

Yeah... that's why I was stuck with bloody Bambi on the beach.... sheesh.... snigger.

[Silkie McDonough]

If not that, how about those lace-up corsets for mugs? I think it was Silkie who had one last year.

My tankard "corset" was done simply to cover the big ugly logo that was cast there! lol.

[Capt. Sterling]

Hey ...why am I putting myself into the mix here? My goods will have my "seal" on them! They will also have the mark of the crew wot has the better prices!

Aye you should be putting yer own mark on yer items, it only makes sense...

And Mission...is there any evidence for those leather lace up corsets? Just curious, I know they would bind glass flasks in leather for protection...

[Lily Alexander]

That's easy...we're the good-looking ones.

Yeah... that's why I was stuck with bloody Bambi on the beach.... sheesh.... snigger.

How was Barcelona BTW?