James Cook and the Conquest of Scurvy

Subjects:

• Health/Medicine » Health/Medicine (General)
• Military Studies » Military History
• History » European History -- Early Modern/Renaissance

Reviews:

• Cuppage, recounts the conquest of the disease. He begins with the early history of scurvy, provides a sketch of the beginnings of nautical medicine during the 18th century, gives a detailed narrative of the three voyages of Cook, touches on the delay in the application of his findings, and concludes with the final solution of the cause of scurvy. A reasonable, quick introduction.
  —
  Choice
• This book is well researched and contains a great deal of detail on events leading up to Captain James Cook's three historic 18th-century voyages on behalf of the British Royal Society.... engaging and valuable to students interested in Captain Cook, the history of scurvy, and the history of navigation and exploration.
  —JAMA
• ...a thoroughly researched, extensively documented, smoothly written review of the subject. This fascinating book belongs on the shelf of every medical history buff.
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  Modern Pathology
• ...we have a good example of an expert in one field applying his knowledge to a separate but related interest, and it is the blending of this information that makes this volume particularly valuable and unique. It is clear from his references that Cuppage has used every possible primary and secondary source for his work.
  —The Northern Mariner

Table of Contents:

• Preface
• Exploration: Voyages into the Unknown
• The Tether: Restraint of Exploration by the Scourge of the Sea
• Glimmerings Early Reports of Prevention and Cure of the Scorbutic Taint
• Neglect: Bureaucratic Delay and the Continued Tether
• Success: James Cook's Triumph over Scurvy
• The Clincher: Search for Terra Australis Incognita--Cook's Second Voyage (1772-1775)
• Last, but not Least: Is There a Northwest Passage? The Third and Final Voyage of James Cook
• Lag: The Delay in Use of Antiscorbutics and the Continuation of Scurvy
• Truth and Consequences: Scientific Unraveling of Scurvy--Its Cause and Prevention
• The Lesson: The Legacies of James Cook and the Benefits from the Control of the Disease
• The Moral of the Story Is...
• Appendix I: Prominent Sea Explorations prior to 1800
• Appendix II: Medical Problems on Sailing Ships during the Age of Sail
• Appendix III: Chronology of the History of Scurvy
• Appendix IV: Ascorbic Acid Content of Various Substances
• Appendix V: Course and Sequence of Cook's First Voyage on the Endeavour, 1768-1771
• Appendix VI: Indigenous Plants Used as Antiscorbutics during Cook's First Voyage to the Pacific
• Appendix VII: Ships' Complements of Cook's Second Voyage
• Appendix VIII: Course and Sequence of Cook's Second Voyage on the Resolution and Adventure, 1772-1775
• Appendix IX: Ships' Complement of Cook's Third Voyage
• Appendix X: Course and Sequence of Cook's Third Voyage on the Resolution and Discovery, 1776-1780
• Appendix XI: Reported Functions of Vitamin C
• Bibliography
• Figure Legends
• Index