Please allow me to introduce the unfortunate crew of the Dryad (1828), courtesy of its surgeon, who clearly wanted to be a writer
1. 28-year-old James Connor, boatswain's mate, who accidentally stabbed himself in the penis while messing about in front of his mates
1. 28-year-old James Connor, boatswain's mate, who accidentally stabbed himself in the penis while messing about in front of his mates
2. 25-year-old John Irving, an irritable assistant surgeon, who developed a fever after indulging in ‘shore excursions & Picnic Parties where Prudence did not always preside’ & falling into a pond 💦🤒
3. 27-year-old officer of the marines Stephen Waite: ‘one of those handsome dull Subjects, so frequently promoted on account of the beauty of their persons, with little regard to Intellect or ability of any Kind’
... Good to see the doctor keeping to the issue at hand
... Good to see the doctor keeping to the issue at hand
4. 23-year-old Richard Wyngate, who ’had been Drunk for three days previous to & was fortunately Drunk' when he fell 20 feet from the main deck. No doubt to his dismay he was prescribed rations of barley water in place of grog 🍻
5. 16-year-old Andrew Rourke, who (for some reason) was described as having 'a very extraordinary Countenance… with large full dark Eyes that seem to penetrate what they look upon, Eyes prone more to Command, than to Obey'
Either the surgeon was in love, or Rourke was a witch
Either the surgeon was in love, or Rourke was a witch
OK HERE’S A GOOD ONE
6. 18-year-old Samuel Tapper, who fell ill with a fever but who mystified the surgeon on account of having both female breasts and male genitals. The first record of a hermaphrodite serving in the Royal Navy?
6. 18-year-old Samuel Tapper, who fell ill with a fever but who mystified the surgeon on account of having both female breasts and male genitals. The first record of a hermaphrodite serving in the Royal Navy?
7. Midshipman Edward Connor, aged 15 years and 9 months: admitted for a fever but who had, the surgeon writes as a sidenote, 'at all times laboured under Bulimia'
(fascinating to see a case of an eating disorder in a young man of the 1820s)
(fascinating to see a case of an eating disorder in a young man of the 1820s)
8. 55-year-old sailmaker William Howell, who had served as a boatswain at the battle of Trafalgar & a sergeant at the battle of Waterloo, now 'very dissipated'
Clearly the Dryad's resident dreamboat:
9. James Henry, ‘a short slender ill looking lad, with light Hair, a converging Squint, Pock Pitted, pale greasy Face, and fond of drinking'
9. James Henry, ‘a short slender ill looking lad, with light Hair, a converging Squint, Pock Pitted, pale greasy Face, and fond of drinking'
To round things off, because I really should be working, a glimpse at the state of the Dryad's STD problem in February 1829. What's the betting they'd had shore leave over Christmas ... 🍆☠️
AND, if you'd like to read the brilliant & totally shade-throwing Dr Robert Dickson's journal FOR YOURSELF you can do so RIGHT HERE (courtesy of @UkNatArchives): nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/adm1…
