The "Hippocrates of Nautical Medicine" is a title that may justly be given to the great naval surgeon of the 18th century, James Lind. His experimental demonstration of the treatment and prevention of scurvy alone led to administrative measures the probably saved the lives of more seamen then were lost in 300 years from shipwreck, naval battle, and all the other hazards of the sea. Scurvy was formerly as deadly to the sailor as plague or smallpox was to the general population. It was the Black Death of the sea. In the period from 1500, when the development of the sailing ship made long ocean voyages possible, until the nearly 1800 when Lind's discovery was put into effect, scurvy was as universal a disease of sailors as smallpox was to all persons; and just as Jenner by the discovery of vaccination was the victor over smallpox, so Lind may be regarded as the conqueror of scurvy. A bibliography of Lind's writings has been included as an appendix. It is believed that this is the first complete list of his writings in print. - Introduction.

"The fascinating narrative of the man who discovered the cure for scurvy -- the dread scourge of the sea and principal killer of sailors" - jacket.

Introduction -- The early life of Lind and the making of a physician in eighteenth century Scotland -- A surgeon in the navy of King George II -- Scurvy : the sea plague -- The conquest of scurvy -- Laying the foundations of naval hygiene -- Fresh water and salt water -- A pioneer of tropical medicine -- The First Physician of the Royal Hospital at Haslar -- Death, honors and appraisal of achievement -- Bibliography of James Lind, M.D. -- Sources of information -- A brief chronology of events in the general, naval, and medical history of the eighteenth century and the life of Lind.