What follows is a fascinating story of the HEALTH of the Royal Navy in mid Victorian times. I could have so easily chosen a different and more modern period but reading and researching this period had me spell-bound.  It tells the story of every sailor in every individual ship {as a statistic] no matter where in the world it was stationed, and covers death from falling from aloft; suicide {don't forget to see the Ganges suicide! - Home station Part Two Plate ap10}; vomiting; alcoholic poisoning; murder; drowning; accidents; KIA; died of wounds received; and plain old disappearing without trace, as well as all the diseases prevalent in the world in the mid 19th century, chief of which, was venereal disease, especially for sailors stationed in any of the five 'home station' bases - Nore, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Cork and the Channel Squadron, most of which was non-sea going.

 Please note that there is a hidden sub-page with two pictures, which is password protected because they show the effects of venereal disease on the male genitals. Following this, there is a URL to an American university site which covers more graphic and explicit matters of VD both for male and female gender.  SEE BELOW 

Despite the sub title above referring to 1865-66, I will start off with just a few pages from an article written about the health of the navy in 1864. It sets the scene about the health of those stationed in the UK. 1 2 3 4. Thus VD was rife and all ships lost members of their company to hospitals for treatment.  Surprisingly, other documents of this period also suggest that VD in the UK ports was always much more prevalent than it was where one might expect it more, namely in the foreign ports. Before leaving this 1864 document, I give you this little insight into the thinking of naval officer cadets vis-a-vis boys, both groups training afloat in training ships.   !!    Haven't I heard that somewhere more recently? Oh yes! Women go to the doctor when feeling unwell and "silly" men don't!   Does that mean that women are more intelligent than us gentlemen?

Now without further ado, let's start the story of the HEALTH of the Navy in 1865-1866. A most detailed and comprehensive report.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

FOR THE BLOODTHIRSTY AMONGST YOU, THE FOLLOWING PLATES CARRY SPECIFIC DETAILS OF DEATH AND INJURIES. HOME = ap10; MED = ap7; CHINA = ap7; PACIFIC = ap4;  SOUTH EAST COAST AMERICA = ap4; WEST COAST OF AFRICA = ap7; AUSTRALIA = ap4; EAST INDIES = ap4; WEST INDIES = ap7 and IRREGULARS = ap7.

1 2 3 4   5

Appendices  for  Home  Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6 ap7 ap8 ap9 ap10ap11 ap12

1 2 3 4 5 6

Appendices  for  Mediterranean  Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6 ap7 ap8 ap9

1 2 3 4 5 6

Appendices for China Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6 ap7 ap8 ap9

1 2 3 4

Appendices for Pacific Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6

1 2 3 4

Appendices for South East Coast of America Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Appendices for West Coast of Africa Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6 ap7 ap8 ap9

1 2

Appendices for Australian Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6

1 2 3 4

Appendices for East Indies and Cape of Good Hope Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5 ap6

1 2 3 4 5 6

Appendices for the North American and West Indies Station

ap1 ap2 ap3 ap4 ap5