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James Spratt wound
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PMarione
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Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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Post Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:55 pm    Post subject: James Spratt wound Reply with quote

He was a Master's Mate on the Defiance with Captain Philip Durham at Trafalgar and was wounded:
Quote:
On arriving at Gibraltar, the pain Mr. Spratt endured was so acute that it brought on a fever, during the paroxisms of which the settings of his leg became deranged as fast as the surgeon could dress them.
To obviate the inconvenience and danger arising from this it was resolved to encase the limb in a long box adapted to the purpose, and to allow it to remain in that state for nine days in order to facilitate the formation of callus.
Long before the time prescribed had elapsed Mr. Spratt's sufferings were greatly increased by a gnawing, unaccountable sensation, not attribuable to the nature of his ailment.
On the box being at lenght unlocked, a spectacle presented itself to the view of the medical officers present unparalleed in the history of their experience.
Hundreds of maggots, an inch long, were stuck into the calf, with only the tips of their tails to be seen, the remainder of their bodies being embedded in the flesh. How to get rid of this astounding production was now the question. One of the surgeons essayed the effect of his forceps, but no sooner was the instrument applied than the creatures broke short off. A second doctor, however, more ingenious, ran to his medicine chest, and returned with a phial, the contents of which had the desired effect.
This, the first case of the kind that occured in the hospital, was accounted for by some of the numerous parasitical flies attracted there after the battle of Trafalgar having deposited their eggs in the wound.
O'Byrne

At the time, infection and pus were the signs of healing. In this case he probably was saved by the maggots which kept the wound clean by gnawing at it and avoided infection!

He died a Commander in 1853.

@+P
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Peter



Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 105
Location: Gosport, Hampshire

Post Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some years ago I was on the Carbibean sea with my mate, Uncle Albert.
He got a small bite on his thigh, thought nothing of it.

Sometime later his leg swelled up and he could feel wriggly movements in his leg. Maggots had hatched out in his leg, in the flesh below the skin.

Luckily we were on an aircraft carrier, he was taken to the operating theatre and the maggots removed.

So be wary when you next go to the Caribbean.

And also never sit under the Machineel tree especially if it is raining, you will get burnt and poisoned. The holiday reps. always seem to forget these things.
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