The Seasick Admiral

Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson did not enjoy robust good health. From his childhood he was prone to many of the ailments so common during the eighteenth century, and after he joined the Royal Navy he contracted fevers that further undermined his strength. Nevertheless, he saw more action than most officers, and was often wounded. His sickness made him uniquely aware of the importance of health and fitness to the efficient running of a fleet, and this new book investigates Nelson's personal contribution to improving the welfare of the men he commanded. It ranges from issues of diet, hygiene, and improved medical practices. Believing prevention was better than cure, Nelson went to great lengths to obtain fresh provisions, insisted on cleanliness in his ships, and understood the relationship between mental and physical health, working tirelessly to keep up the morale of his men. Nelson's influence in naval health was hugely significant, a role which this book reveals in detail for the first time.