This book examines successive campaigns fought by reformers to improve seamen's health and fitness, sometimes aided by, often opposed by, bureaucracies and vested interests, such as ship-owners. It shows how these campaigns originated; how reformers, bureaucracies and vested interests interacted; and how far the campaigns succeeded. Among the many successes were the controls for infectious diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, tuberculosis and venereal infections; fewer accidents and health problems resulting from alcohol consumption; improvements to diet and medical care aboard ships; and improved assessment of seamen's fitness, including for colour blindness, an essential requirement following the introduction of coloured navigation lights. During this period up to three quarters of all merchant shipping was British-owned and, while some British approaches in the field of maritime safety were widely adopted internationally, it was often the case that other nations could teach Britain much about protecting the health of seamen.
Author(s): Tim Carter
Publisher: Boydell Press
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: 234
City: London
Contents
Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Glossary of nautical terms used
Introduction
1 Health at sea before 1860
2 Unseaworthy seamen
3 The health of merchant seamen in the nineteenth century
4 Injury and disease at sea in the nineteenth century
5 The seaman ashore: victim, threat or patient?
6 Bad food and donkey’s breakfasts
7 Fit for lookout duties
8 The long-term health of seamen
9 War, manpower and fitness for service
10 Seamen’s health in the welfare state
11 Retrospect and prospect
Bibliography
Index
