Shipwreck Databases Western Australian Museum

A Medical Study of Health and Hygiene on board the Swan River Colony’s Private Merchant Vessels of the Nineteenth Century

Author/s Ryan, R.

Year of publication 2013

Report Number: No. 249

This research attempts to provide insights into the medical practices and health- and hygiene-related issues on board nineteenth century Swan River Colony merchant ships by using a functional analysis approach of archaeological artefacts selected for this study. The seven shipwreck sites investigated include the Rapid (1811), James Matthews (1841), Eglinton (1852), Centaur (1874) Sepia (1898), Carlisle Castle (1899) and Day Dawn (1899). Most maritime medical practices have explored the experiences of convicts and government-assisted emigrants as well as their surgeons voyaging to the colonies. However, limited work has been done on private merchant vessels. Furthermore little research has been conducted on the conditions under which vessels sailed. Where available, most of this work is attributed to historical studies such as Bateson (1959), Haines (2005) and Foxhall (2012), rather than archaeological investigations which provide more direct physical evidence about habits and practices on board. In this study the health and medical practices of nineteenth century Britain are considered when investigating the conditions which passengers and crew faced on their voyage to the colonies, as well as the advancements of maritime medicine with the advent of longer voyages. Archaeological examination of these merchant shipwrecks are expected to fill the gaps in information about the sorts of ailment crew and passengers suffered from, the various treatments prescribed, and the types of medical equipment being imported into the colony.