~An Amalgam of Medical and Maritime History~

A medical student, an aspiring maritime historian, a man who always seems to find his passions in the most unorthodox of ways. I am all these things. Perhaps a bit of an overstatement, particularly the last part, however, my quest to find that which drives me has always led me down circuitous paths. Medicine and maritime history might seem a strange amalgam to some, however, the two are linked in the most extraordinary ways. Both have rich and multifaceted histories that are prime for exploration, discovery, and learning. I seek to learn about both; separately and together.

As a student of medicine, I am at once enthralled and inundated by the wealth of knowledge to be gained from such a course of study. Despite my passion for the subject, I have found that though we are more than sufficiently prepared for our roles as healers, we often times are left with little in the way of an historical perspective. How did we come to use the techniques and medications now endorsed by physicians, and what did it take to get to this point? These are questions that I seek to answer.

Though I have always been a history enthusiast, it was not until recently that I discovered my love of ships and the sea. I quickly gained a penchant for all things maritime. an historical subject that encompasses a broad range of topics from naval battles to the science of navigation. Recently, I came to find that surgeons at sea played an integral part in the orchestra of persons aboard a sailing vessel. They were to maintain the health of the sailors at all costs, despite the rudimentary tools and the unforgiving elements of wind and sea. This effectively bridges the topics, and provides a jumping point for my future knowledge and research.

Any feedback is welcome as I share what I have gained with you.
  • adventures-of-the-blackgang
  • museumuse
  • staff
  • aclockworkdolphin
  • 18thcentury
  • spiffingsailor
  • turnofthecentury
  • 2fingerstyping
  • fuckyeahaubreymaturin

Follow BoatandBact on Twitter

Confirmed: Y. pestis bacteria caused the Black Death

A very interesting blog post from The History Blog (click on above title for link) concerning the (now-known) microbial origins of the Black Death. Yersinia Pestis, the causative pathogen, is known to infect hosts, such as rats and fleas, and then be transmitted to humans. The three known types of plagues (i.e. bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic) were responsible for countless deaths in the European continent over a period of 400 years. The list of symptoms for each type are listed below and are relatively severe and gruesome. Each of them had a mortality rate over 75% with the most severe type, septicemic, killing nearly 100% of those it infected.

Bubonic plague

-Incubation period of 2–6 days, when the bacteria is actively replicating.

-Universally a general lack of energy

-Fever

-Headache and chills occur suddenly at the end of the incubation period

-Swelling of lymph nodes resulting in buboes, the classic sign of bubonic plague. The inguinal nodes are most frequently affected (“boubon” is Greek for “groin.”)

Septicemic plague

-Hypotension

-Hepatosplenomegaly

-Delirium

-Seizures in children

-Shock

-Universally a general lack of energy

-Fever

-Symptoms of bubonic or pneumonic plague are not always present

Pneumonic plague

-Fever

-Chills

-Cough

-Chest pain

-Dyspnea

-Hemoptysis

-Lethargy

-Hypotension

-Shock

-Symptoms of bubonic or septicemic plague are not always present

USS Triton Circumnavigates the Globe | Naval History Blog

May 10, 1960

(Link in title) The USS Triton completes a submerged circumnavigation of the globe in only 84 days.  The mission was called Operation Sandblast and was a first in history.  The sub followed routes taken by Magellan, making the voyage even more historically relevant.  At the time, the Triton was the largest and most expensive submarine the world had ever known.

Delaware Makes First Quasi-War Capture, 7 July 1798 | Naval History Blog

The title says it all. If you are at all interested in this war, time period, or what have you, then I highly suggest picking up Ian Toll’s book, Six Frigates.  He gives an excellent, rousing account of the Quasi-War and the War of 1812.  Click the title to go to the original post from the Naval History Blog.