be very insignificant; and as it would both enable the surgeon to take, without difficulty, a man from duty when he thought it requisite, and thus get him the sooner cured, and allow the business of the ship to be easily enough carried on, although two or three were absent: it is certainly a measure much to be wished-a measure which should never be neglected. How awkwardly must a commander be situated, if, as sometimes happens, he loses by death a few of his hands, when it is difficult or impossible for him to get others.

he

There should also be a boy shipped, whose especial business it should be to look after the sick. This need not be his only occupation; for frequently, particularly upon the passage, would have but little to do in that way. He may be sailor or any thing else, as well as sick attendant; but he should be one that is not really needed for any other business-that can give, if it be required, the whole of his time to the sick. Such an attendant would be of immense use both to the patient and surgeon.

There should also be certain necessaries allowed for the consumption of the sick-a certain quantity of wine, beer, sago, and rice. It is not a great deal of these, I confess, that will be required. Stimulants and cordials are not dealt out now-a-days with such a liberal hand to sick folks as formerly; and seamen in general, when their complaint has been at once attacked and subdued, recover very well without much of their aid. Nevertheless there are cases where those least friendly to cordials will see it necessary to administer them. There will be cases where these things, either in the course or at the termination of the disease, are absolutely needed; and therefore they should surely be provided.

It could hardly be expected, that in small ships, where there is necessarily but little accomodation, and where all the accomodation is wanted, any separate place should be allowed for the reception of sick; nor indeed is such a place much required. I have, however, mentioned the great inconvenience arising from the sick having no commode close at hand; and this I think is a

want which might surely be remedied. Such a convenience, for the sick alone, could easily be in the neighbourhood of their births, and the advantage of it would certainly much more than compensate for the expense and trouble.

The great moralizing poet says―

Heaven speed the canvass, gallantly unfurl'd,
To furnish and accomodate a world-
To give the pole the produce of the sun,
And knit th' unsocial nations into one:
Let nothing adverse, nothing unforeseen,
Impede the bark that ploughs the deep serene.

But, at the same time, he would

Teach

mercy to ten thousand hearts that share The fears and hopes of the commercial care.

We wish to the merchant all the prosperity that can come to him; while, at the same time, we would wish, that he who "ploughs in his bark" should have all the comfort that can be given him.

A few of the surgeons of private trading ships, are in the habit of leaving the ship and living on shore, while she remains in harbour in India,

They visit their ship every day, but except at the time of the visit they are on shore. This however, although I adopted it myself, I do not think the proper way. The surgeon, having almost every thing that his patient requires, to do for him, he surely requires to be pretty often at hand; and if he is not at hand, which he cannot be if he lives principally on shore, it is very evident his patient cannot be properly attended to. Disease, too, attacking very suddenly in these climates, and committing great ravages in an exceedingly short time, is another good reason why the surgeon should never be much out of the way. Although he may visit his ship every day, or oftener, still this is not enough; he may not be there just at the time he is most required. And therefore should it be a rule of the surgeon's to live on board in port as well as at sea. As regards pecuniary matters, too, if he has any reason to be anxious on that head, he will find it his interest to prefer his ship to the shore.

And this naturally leads me to speak of a plan adopted by some owners of ships, not by any

means a proper one-I mean the plan of engaging a surgeon going out to remain in the country in the service of the Company, to do the duty of the ship out, and take the chance of getting some Indian surgeon returning to England to do it home again. It must be obvious from what has been stated in the last paragraph, that this is indeed a very erroneous way of going to work. It is not upon the passage, either out or home, that the surgeon is much needed. So long as the ship is at sea there are generally very few complaints among the people; it is after she has reached her port, that complaints, and probably very severe ones, begin to appear; and, of course, it is just then that the medical man really is required; it is while she remains in harbour that she should have her surgeon, if she is to have him at all. I know that a medical man resident on shore may be engaged to attend while the ship remains in port; but from what I have already stated, it is evident, that it is quite impossible for him, let him be as attentive as he may, to give the attention that is required. He may visit and prescribe,