3 Issue 50 — Autumn 2018 THE KEDGE ANCHOR (1768-1771) is in stark contrast to the oppressive and cruel Cook of the Resolution and Discovery voyage (1776 – 1779/82). “. . the most moderate, humane and gentle circumnavigator that ever went upon discoveries,” as described by Richard Hough; a man exhibiting an enlightened and refreshingly civilized attitude toward the men who served under him and the natives of the lands he exposed to European society for the first time changed into a man who had lost his burning curiosity and had become cruel, irritable, and profane. His seamanship had become faulty; whereas before he had been both concise and precise, he constantly delayed and vacillated from one plan to another, and he tempted fate repeatedly with foolhardy acts, such as sailing fast with the wind in fog with visibility down to 100 yards. Cook exhibited prolonged symptoms. They first appear in his second voyage and include stubborn constipation, loss of appetite and loss of weight; also fatigue, loss of interest and initiative, irritability, loss of concentration and memory, and the change of personality. The distinguished Surgeon Vice Admiral Sir James Watt Medical Director General of the Navy (1972-1977) believed that Cook was suffering from a parasitic infection of the intestine: “The parasites would cause inflammation of the wall of the intestine allowing colonization of bacteria which could interfere with the absorption of the B complex of vitamins and probably other nutrients.” In other words, Cook was suffering from an intestinal blockage that deprived him of Vitamin B. However, at most lectures I have given on Cook this diagnosis has been challenged – by doctors! They say Vitamin B deficiency alone would not be enough to explain the personality change. Therefore, if they are right, there are two mysteries. Why did someone as illustrious as Watt proffer an explanation that he must have known to be inadequate? And, what other explanations could there be to explain Cook’s change in personality? One suggestion that has been put forward and which addresses both of these questions is that Cook was displaying the symptoms of third stage syphilis and in that in order not to tarnish Cook’s reputation Watt put forward the Vitamin B deficiency diagnosis as a smokescreen. Having studied Cook I find it very hard to find any credence, let alone evidence, to suggest that Cook had a sexual relationship with any women other than his wife and none on Tahiti, where the women were in his words “free with their favours” or indeed elsewhere during the Endeavour voyage. Whereas there is evidence for many of the ship’s crew and also the naturalist Joseph Banks, who ‘went native’. Cook was modest with a strong sense of duty and loyalty to home and country and he was very much aware of the “Venereal distemper”, attempting to limit its spread. He wrote, “We debauch their morals already too prone to vice and we interduce among them wants and perhaps diseases which they never before knew and which serves only to disturb that happy tranquility they and their forefathers have enjoyed.” Moreover, I believe his religious faith also protected the sanctity of his marriage. If Watt is wrong and syphilis cannot be believed what other possible diagnoses could there be? Another that has been put forward is PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) after PTE (potential traumatizing events). Those events could have only been the unremitting stresses of his two harrowing voyages of discovery. However, the nature of the available source documents - his formal journals written for the Admiralty only - do not reveal his mental health or display post-traumatic symptoms. At best they might endorse signs of anger and irritability. PTSD is a fragile diagnosis. Based on personal experience and talking to specialist doctors and surgeons I believe there may be one other possibility that is valid and which coincidentally protects Cook’s reputation. I would like to suggest that Cook was suffering from a brain tumour. Personality changes brought on by brain tumours include irritability or aggression, loss of inhibitions or restraints and behaving in socially or culturally unacceptable ways, confusion and forgetfulness, depression, mood swings, difficulty identifying emotions in yourself and others and difficulty planning and organising. All of these symptoms can be applied to Cook especially in respect of his third and final voyage. Unfortunately, we shall never be certain. The brain tumour remains speculation, but then history is always about interpretation based on the best factual information available! Compared to ‘fake history’ based on analysis through the lens of contemporary social values, it is reassuring that contemporary scientific knowledge can assist our understanding of the past. As always before closing, I wish to express my thanks to our Kedge Anchor editor, Ken Flemming. This issue will be his penultimate edition and while it is clear that he will be a hard act to follow I hope that as a member of the Club you will consider seriously whether you could put yourself forward to be the next editor and carry on the fine tradition he has established. With all good wishes, yours aye,
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