The Middle Passage: A Ship Surgeon's Grisly Logbook

Lucas and Luna take a deep dive into the harrowing day-to-day reality of the Middle Passage through the eyes of a British ship surgeon. Drawing on the 1788 logbook of Dr. Thomas Trotter aboard the slave ship Brookes, they reconstruct the precise dimensions of the hold, the daily allotment of food and water, the medical crises that erupted, and the cold calculations of profit versus human life. They examine the Dolben Act of 1788, which attempted to regulate the number of enslaved people per ton, and how ship captains circumvented it. Trotter's diary, later used by abolitionists, provides a rare clinical perspective on the stench, disease, and despair. The episode also touches on the archaeological evidence from wrecks like the Henrietta Marie, showing how material remains confirm the written records. Finally, they reflect on the psychological toll on the sailors themselves, many of whom drank heavily or jumped overboard. This is not an abstract overview but a visceral, specific account of one of history's greatest crimes. #MiddlePassage #ThomasTrotter #Brookes #SlaveShip #DolbenAct #HenriettaMarie #ShipSurgeon #Abolition #1788 #MedicalHistory #MaritimeArchaeology #BritishSlaveTrade #Liverpool #Africa #Caribbean #History #FexingoHistory #AtlanticWorld Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo