Tercentenary of the first English book on tropical medicine, by Thomas Trapham of Jamaica.
M. T. Ashcroft
Aug 25, 1979
Citations
3
Citations
Journal
British Medical Journal
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Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: The first English book on tropical medicine, A Discourse of the State of Health in the Island of Jamaica, by Dr Thomas Trapham, was published in 1679, 13 years before the 1692 earthquake and 300 years ago.
Abstract
Between 11 and 12 o'clock in the morning of 7 June 1692 occurred one of the most famous earthquakes in history, and the town of Port Royal in the island of Jamaica, described by writers of the time as the "Babylon of the Caribbean' ' and "the wickedest and richest city in the New World,'' slid into the sea. A con temporary pamphlet1 described the disaster and illustrated it with a crude woodcut, showing that "Dr Trapham, a Physician in this Place was Miraculously saved, by hanging by the Hands upon the Rack of a Chimney and one of his children hanging about his Neck, were both saved by a Boat; but his Wife and the rest of his Children and Family were Lost." This drawing (fig 1) is the only pictorial representation known to exist of Dr Thomas Trapham, author of the first book in English on medicine in the tropics, A Discourse of the State of Health in the Island of Jamaica. With a provision therefore calculated from the air, the place and the water; the custom and manner of living, etc, published in London in 1679, 13 years before the earthquake and 300 years ago2 (fig 2).