ement to proceed on that principle, in order further to improve
this important branch of medicine.

Captain Cook begins his list of stores with malt. Of this, he says, was
made Sweet Wort, and given not only to those men who had manifest
symptoms of the scurvy, but to such also as were judged to be most liable
to it. Dr. Macbride, who first suggested this preparation, was led (as he
says) to the discovery by some experiments that had been laid before this
Society; by which it appeared that the air produced by alimentary
fermentation was endowed with a power of correcting putrefaction*. The
fact he confirmed by numerous trials, and finding this fluid to be _fixed
air_, he justly concluded, that whatever substance proper for food
abounded with it, and which could be conveniently carried to sea, would
make one of the best provisions against the scurvy; which he then
considered as a putrid disease, and as such to be prevented or cured by
that powerful kind of antiseptic**. Beer, for instance, had always been
esteemed one of the best antiscorbutics; but as that derived all its
fixed air from the malt of which it is made, he inferred that malt itself
was preferable in long voyages, as it took up less room than the brewed
liquor, and would keep longer found. Experience hath since verified this
ingenious theory, and the malt hath now gained so much credit in the
navy, that there only wanted so long, so healthful, and so celebrated a
voyage as this, to rank it among the most indispensable articles of
provision. For though Captain Cook remarks, that _A proper attention to
other things must be joined, and that he is not altogether of opinion,
that the wort will be able to cure the scurvy in an advanced state at
sea; yet he is persuaded that it is sufficient to prevent that distemper
from making any great progress, for a considerable time_; and therefore
he doth not hesitate to pronounce it _one of the best antiscorbutic
medicines yet found out***.

[* Append. to my _Observations on the Diseases of the Army_.]

[** Macbride's Exper. Eff. passim.]

[*** Having been favoured with a sight of the medical journal of Mr.
Patten, surgeon to the Resolution, I read the following passage in it,
not a little strengthening the above testimony. _I have found the wort of
the utmost service in all scorbutic cases during the voyage. As many took
it by way of prevention, few cases occurred where it had a fair trial;
but theft, however, I flatter