1719-Mar.–July 13: A detailed surgeon’s account from the ship Elizabeth in 1719 recorded a diverse array of causes for captive mortality during the Middle Pa…

1719-Mar.–July 13: A detailed surgeon’s account from the ship Elizabeth in 1719 recorded a diverse array of causes for captive mortality during the Middle Passage. The log listed deaths resulting from apoplexy, convulsions, and respiratory issues like asthma and consumption, alongside infectious diseases such as “malignant fever” and “flux.” One entry specifically noted the death of a man who was described as “stubborn” and refused to eat, a common form of individual resistance known as fixed melancholy. The account illustrates the constant medical crises faced by captives, including conditions like anasarca, epilepsy, and scurvy, which were recorded until the ship reached port in July.