Tale from Batavia: Fever in the Hold
A Simples & Worts Story from the Year of Our Lord, 1770
The riches in the form of herbs and spices produced within Indonesia created very wealthy citizens overnight, that is, once they had procured the Mace, Nutmeg, Black Pepper and others at the central port of Batavia (current name is Jakarta), which was held by the Dutch and the region was called the Dutch East Indies. But, the voyage from England was long and perilous. The sailors were showing distressing signs of scurvy, so we knew that we needed to get fresh vegetables, meat, fruit and what we believe might be a cureā¦ citrus juice from limes and lemons.
We reached Batavia by late October, the sails limp with heat and the crew restless from our long Pacific crossing. The ship groaned in her moorings like a beast needing repair, and so we anchored near the Dutch port, lured by the promise of shipwrights, citrus, and solid ground.
But no sooner had boots touched earth than the sickness crept in.
Within three days, fevers burned like fire behind the eyes, and the hammocks were thick with moans. Their bellies revolted. They could keep nothing down. A rot ā some said the water, others said the air ā worked through the lower decks.
I was not surgeonās mate, nor botanist, only a keeper of dried roots and notes ā what the quartermaster called 'the wort-book boy.' But it was in this feverish blur that I turned again to my pouches and pressed herbs.
Chamomile, once brewed gently for sleep, I now steeped strong to calm the stomach. Bay laurel, boiled with a dash of vinegar, I laid upon aching joints. Peppermint ā dried leaves from the islands weād passed ā brought relief to those able to sip. And for the deepest fever, cinchona bark, long guarded by the Spanish, was bartered in powdered form from a Batavian apothecary.
We lost more than thirty. The surgeon himself fell to flux. Many were buried beneath the palms. But some lived, and those who did often had been given herbal tea, balm rubs, or cool cloths infused with rosemary water.
By December, we sailed again ā lighter, not just from stores, but from the burden of loss.
I learned that Batavia offered what few ports could: repair, refreshment, and ruin. But I also learned that sometimes the smallest medicine ā a pinch of mint, a sliver of bark, a whisper of lavender steam ā can hold back death, if only for a night.
šæ Remedies from the Wort Book
Condition Herbal Aid Notes
Malaria Cinchona bark Strong decoction, source of quinine
Dysentery Chamomile, blackberry root Tea for gut calm and inflammation
Fever Willow bark, peppermint, lemon balm For cooling and soothing sweats
Mouth sores Myrrh tincture or saltwater For infected gums and ulcers
Weak appetite Gentian root or ginger Stimulating tonics
Modern Medical Insight
During their 1770 stop in Batavia, many crewsāincluding those under British commandāwere overwhelmed by mosquito-borne illnesses and waterborne infections. Chief among them:
- Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes
- Dysentery, a bacterial or amoebic infection causing intestinal inflammation
Although modern treatments include antimalarials like artemisinin and antibiotics for bacterial dysentery, herbalists of the era relied on remedies such as:
- Cinchona bark, now known to contain quinine, one of the earliest known malaria treatments
- Chamomile and peppermint, still used today for digestive distress
- Willow bark, a natural source of salicin, the precursor to aspirin
These remedies, though crude, sometimes provided genuine reliefāespecially in cases where rest, hydration, and supportive care were otherwise unavailable.
Today, clinical herbalists continue to study these plants for their medicinal value while complementing modern treatments.
Until next timeā¦
I amā¦
Phil Wilsonā¦
And, hereās to living an herbal lifestyle with you!