Syphilis and Fevers: Medicine at English Camp

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Medicine prior to the modern era was precarious. Infectious diseases were poorly understood, and doctors rarely washed before an operation. Surgeons did not widely use antiseptics until the 1860s. The only "modern" medical practice at English Camp would have been the use of anesthesia, which was introduced in the early 19th century.

During the twelve years of English Camp, four surgeons served with the Royal Marines. The camp’s hospital stood near the parade ground and held a total of four beds until funds requested by Captain William Delacombe allowed further construction on the building. Typically the English Camp hospital cared for patients with moderate conditions, often fever or broken limbs. Anything more serious was sent to the hospital at Esquimalt on Vancouver Island. Common conditions seen in the San Juan Island Royal Marines included rheumatism and paralysis, the latter which Esquimalt surgeon John Moss believed to be from a syphilitic infection. Mercury became the common treatment for syphilis, with the element produced in various forms such as pills, ointments, and even steam baths.

Visitors to English Camp can visit the hospital building where these men were treated and explore the lives of the mid-1800s British Royal Marines.