| Sores,
Scabs and Scurvy:
So Goes the Life of a Sailor
|
| By:
Kristy Kelly Imhof
krissuekel@aol.com Ransom Middle School Cantonment, Florida |
Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Conclusion | Worksheets | Evaluation
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Introduction |
Disease was a fact of life for sailors in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Many sailors brought diseases aboard the ship. These diseases quickly spread. When ships went into port, still more diseases were contracted and carried back to the ship.
Food was also a cause for sickness on board a ship. Since there was no such thing as a refrigerator, food spoiled on long voyages. Molded, weevil infested bread was the common place. Meat became rancid. Fresh water grew algae. Many sailors, rather than eat bad food, suffered from malnutrition. Food poisoning, scurvy, malaria, vomiting and diarrhea...so goes the life of a sailor!
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Task |
You are the medical officer aboard the ship of Christopher Columbus. It is your job to tend to the health conditions of the sailors on board the ship. Since it is a long journey across the Atlantic Ocean, you want to take preventative measures to ensure the health of the sailors before your ship sets sail. Using the resources below, research the common illnesses found aboard ships. How do you plan to prevent these illnesses on your journey?
First, you are to complete the worksheet
using the resources below. Then you will have a "doctors' round table
discussion" with other medical officers (students) to come up with ideas
for preventing the common illnesses aboard the ship. Lastly, you will
write a Health Measures Plan to keep your sailors healthy.
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Resources |
| Typhus | Malaria: | Brittanica Online |
| Sea Sickness: | Syphilis | Scurvy |
| Malnutrition | Dysentery |
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Process |
1. Before you can prevent diseases, Doc, you need to know the diseases. Use the links in the resource section above. Use the information you find to complete the worksheet section titled, "Know Your Diseases, Doc!"
2. You now know the common diseases that were found on board a ship in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, but can you diagnose them? Using all of the resources above, diagnose the sailor's conditions. Complete the worksheet section titled, "What's-a-matter With Me, Doc?"
3. You "know your diseases, Doc," and you know "what's-a-matter" with your patient. Congratulations! Now it's time to take action to prevent the further spread of disease. Using all of the above resources, make a preventative health measures plan to ensure the health of your sailors on their upcoming voyage. What can be done to stop the spread of Dysentery, Malaria, Malnutrition, Syphilis, Scurvy, Sea Sickness and Typhus? Complete the "Preventative Health Measures Plan" of the worksheet. There are a few things you need to keep in mind while writing your Health Measures Plan. Many factors lead to disease and illness. Remember the basics:
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Personal hygiene |
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Ship hygiene |
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Medical hygiene |
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Exercise |
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Balanced diet |
4. Meet with your team of fellow doctors for a "doctors' round table discussion" about disease prevention. As you discuss each disease and come up with preventions, add ideas to the section of your worksheet titled "Preventative Health Measures Plan."
5. Using the "Preventative Health Measures Plan" section of your worksheet, write a report to Christopher Columbus. In your report you must explain to him how you plan on preventing each of the seven ailments (Dysentery, Malaria, Malnutrition, Syphilis, Scurvy, Sea Sickness and Typhus). Use Microsoft Word to write your report.
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Special Instructions for your report: Write one paragraph for each disease. Begin each paragraph with an introduction sentence (for example: "In order to prevent dysentery, I suggest the following measures...") Remember: This is the 1490's. You want to prevent these illnesses on a long boat journey. "Eating a balanced diet" is not the proper answer. Tell Columbus how you plan on feeding the sailors a balanced diet. Be creative!!! |
5. If you have any time left over when
you are finished, go to "Miss
Kelly's Helpful History Links"
and search the exploration links.
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Conclusion |
Disease was a part of life on a ship in the 1500s. While diseases were contracted in port they were quickly spread throughout the boat. If a sailor was not plagued by disease, he may have suffered from malnutrition. Life aboard a ship in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries was not easy!
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Evaluation |
I will evaluate your WebQuest performance by checking the worksheet that you complete while learning, diagnosing and preventing the common diseases found on a ship, and by grading the report that you write to Columbus.
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back |
Last updated: Friday, October 18, 2002 1:43 PM
For Information about this Web Contact: Nancy O'Neal at noneal@eskambia.k12.fl.us
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