This Proceeding, Instead Of Removing, Increased The
Evil, His Stomach Being Already Weak Enough Before.
He was afflicted
with violent pains, which in the space of a few days confined him to
his bed, and forced him to have recourse to medicines.
He took a
purge, but instead of producing the desired effect, it caused a
violent vomiting, which was assisted immediately by proper emetics.
All attempts, however, to procure a passage through his bowels were
ineffectual; his food and medicines were thrown up, and in a few days
a most dreadful hiccough appeared, which lasted for upwards of twenty
four hours, with such astonishing violence, that his life was entirely
despaired of. Opiates and glysters had no effect, till repeated hot
baths, and plasters of theriaca applied on his stomach, had relieved
his body and intestines. This, however, was not effected till he had
been above a week in the most imminent danger. Next to providence it
was chiefly owing to the skill of our surgeon, Mr Patten, that he
recovered to prosecute the remaining part of our voyage, with the same
spirit with which it had hitherto been carried on. The care and
assiduity with which that worthy man watched him during his whole
illness, cannot be sufficiently extolled, as all our hopes of future
discoveries, as well as union in the ship, depended solely on the
preservation of the captain. The surgeon's extreme attention, however,
had nearly cost him his own life. Having taken no rest for many nights
together, and seldom venturing to sleep an hour by day, he was so much
exhausted, that we trembled for his life, upon which that of almost
every man in the ship, in a great measure, depended.
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