Hygiene and nutrition.

[wausaubob]

Its odd that in the era of the US/Mexican war, the Crimean War, and the US Civil War, when so many soldiers died of infectious disease that no one has inquired as to whether, following the long debate in the British navy, the modern navies of that time had already changed hygienic and dietary practices.
A ship is much easier to keep clean than a sprawling army camp which contained thousands of animals. And by 1860 a warship usually could visit a friendly port, or at least a neutral port, to purchase fresh food on a regular basis. I don't know that any US fleet in the Civil War experienced a high number of deaths due to disease.

 

[Sheltowee]

Interesting. Would love to see some comparative death data for army vs navy.

 

[rebelatsea]

Well in the RN, ships were kept washed down internally once a week, ports and hatches kept open at all times when sea conditions allowed. In high temperatures windsails were attached to open hatches to catch available breezes. A visit to HMS Warrior reveals that the iron lower masts were hollow and vents provided to allow fresh air below decks. Most ships had galleys, where food could be properly cooked. The ironclads were provided with laundry facilities for the first time , including drying rooms.
The crew had to wash daily and their clothes and hammocks once a week. As you say, in port fresh vegetables and fruit were bought. Fishing was also encouraged. The downside is that there was not, as yet, any alternatives to keep meat other than drying and salting.
i doubt that it was much different in the USN.
The only thing that hadn't changed were the sanitary facilities, the seaman's heads were still up in the bows, and the officers closets in quarter galleries or the stern overhang. Later the heads were moved amidships in sponsons, but the resulting brown stains down the sides soon resulted in scupper pipes down to the waterline being added.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Its odd that in the era of the US/Mexican war, the Crimean War, and the US Civil War, when so many soldiers died of infectious disease that no one has inquired as to whether, following the long debate in the British navy, the modern navies of that time had already changed hygienic and dietary practices.
A ship is much easier to keep clean than a sprawling army camp which contained thousands of animals. And by 1860 a warship usually could visit a friendly port, or at least a neutral port, to purchase fresh food on a regular basis. I don't know that any US fleet in the Civil War experienced a high number of deaths due to disease.

Some of the Marines here are not going to like this post, but it is lighthearted and has no ill will intended. It does come from experience in the U.S. Navy. Here we go: "Ships are easier to keep clean than a sprawling army camp which contained thousands of animals," .....UNLESS you have Marines on board who are puking everywhere!

 

[Old Soldier]

Some of the Marines here are not going to like this post, but it is lighthearted and has no ill will intended. It does come from experience in the U.S. Navy. Here we go: "Ships are easier to keep clean than a sprawling army camp which contained thousands of animals," .....UNLESS you have Marines on board who are puking everywhere!

During my time at sea, I saw more seamen pewking during the first day or two, than landsmen like me. A day or two and we were all mostly 100% - we had got our 'sea legs'. (I never got seasick at all) No it wasn't a warship but a seismic survey vessel, the real seamen ran the ship. I was one of the seismic crew, who, when we had a bad cable, spent more time on the heaving deck than the crew. BTW that cable , top right is VERTICAL. (Rolling home)

And before anyone says, 'but that's a civvy ship', any ship on the Blockade would have spent their time in a similar fashion - the watches (5x4 hour and 2x2hr dog-watches on and off in turn), 'make-and-mend', with very little excitement except the occasional storm and the odd blockade-runner.

 

[Old Soldier]

Interesting. Would love to see some comparative death data for army vs navy.

It is rather like the Third Afghan War of 1919 - a whole three months with, on our side, the British and Indian forces - 250 men killed and 650 wounded in action and another 1,000 deaths from disease. The Royal Navy was, obviously, not employed in this war.

 

[wausaubob]

Well in the RN, ships were kept washed down internally once a week, ports and hatches kept open at all times when sea conditions allowed. In high temperatures windsails were attached to open hatches to catch available breezes. A visit to HMS Warrior reveals that the iron lower masts were hollow and vents provided to allow fresh air below decks. Most ships had galleys, where food could be properly cooked. The ironclads were provided with laundry facilities for the first time , including drying rooms.
The crew had to wash daily and their clothes and hammocks once a week. As you say, in port fresh vegetables and fruit were bought. Fishing was also encouraged. The downside is that there was not, as yet, any alternatives to keep meat other than drying and salting.
i doubt that it was much different in the USN.
The only thing that hadn't changed were the sanitary facilities, the seaman's heads were still up in the bows, and the officers closets in quarter galleries or the stern overhang. Later the heads were moved amidships in sponsons, but the resulting brown stains down the sides soon resulted in scupper pipes down to the waterline being added.

The northern indigenous peoples may have gotten through the winter by eating under cooked fish to obtain Vitamin C. Anyone who has studied sea lions and seals probably would not follow that practice.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Some of the Marines here are not going to like this post, but it is lighthearted and has no ill will intended. It does come from experience in the U.S. Navy. Here we go: "Ships are easier to keep clean than a sprawling army camp which contained thousands of animals," .....UNLESS you have Marines on board who are puking everywhere!

When I was on a LSD, an amphibious ship, we often carried up to 160 Marines (and their tanks and trucks, etc.). The Marines WERE animals - in a very GOOD way!

 

[rebelatsea]

The northern indigenous peoples may have gotten through the winter by eating under cooked fish to obtain Vitamin C. Anyone who has studied sea lions and seals probably would not follow that practice.

Well that wasn't why we got called "Limeys" LOL.