Ship's surgeon

A ship's doctor or ship's surgeon (frequently also called a navy surgeon or naval surgeon) is the person responsible for the health of the people aboard a ship at sea. The term "ship's doctor" or "ship's surgeon" appears often in reference to the British Royal Navy's "surgeons" during the Age of Sail. These men, like other physicians, often did not have much medical training. They cared for the members of the ship, dealing with wounds from battle, disease and the other medical problems which plagued the Royal Navy throughout the world.

During the Age of Sail, the Royal Navy carried trained medical officers aboard its warships, who usually learned their trade before coming on board ship. They were generally called surgeons. The Navy Board qualified surgeons through an examination at the Barber-Surgeons' Company and they were responsible to the Sick and Wounded Board under the Navy Board. Warranted Naval Medical officers, similar to doctors on shore, were not required to have a medical degree and were generally trained by apprenticeship. By 1814, the Royal Navy had 14 physicians, 850 surgeons, 500 assistants surgeons caring for 130,000 men on shore and at sea. They were very well paid, starting at £14 per month in 1815 for surgeons with less than 6 years of experience, up to £25 4s for 20 years of experience. They were also allowed £43 for equipment, £5 for every 100 cases of venereal disease they treated, and a personal servant. Factoring in prize money, a ship's surgeon could make well over £200 a year.

Surgeons were ranked by the Navy Board based on their training and social status. Surgeons were wardroom warrant officers with a high status, billeted along with the other officers in the wardroom. Until the Navy's medical services were reorganized in 1806, surgeons were warranted by individual ship captains, not commissioned by the Admiralty. After 1808, surgeons, like masters were considered equivalent to commissioned officers and were 'Warrant officers of Wardroom Rank'.

Surgeons were assisted by surgeon's mates, who after 1805 were called assistant surgeons. The surgeon and his mates were assisted by boys, who were called loblolly boys, named after the gruel commonly served in the sick bay. A small number of doctors with a prestigious medical education were ranked as physicians; they would supervise surgeons on ships or run hospitals on shore.

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