On Some of the More Important Diseases of the Army

This 1862 publication describes the problem of fatalities caused by disease among British troops serving abroad during the nineteenth century.

Published in 1862, John Davy's book is a comprehensive statistical analysis of disease in the British army, demonstrating that 45% of deaths among British troops serving abroad were caused by illness, not conflict. The work also includes detailed descriptions of his observations made during post mortems.Born in Cornwall, John Davy (1790–1868) physiologist and anatomist, and the younger brother of the distinguished chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778–1829), was one of the most prolific medical experts of his day. After taking a medical degree from Edinburgh in 1814 he became an army surgeon. He later became a hospital inspector and spent time living in overseas territories including India, Sri Lanka, and Barbados. First published in 1862, Davy's book discusses the prominence of fever, dysentery, cholera, liver disease, pneumonia, and other diseases common to the army, estimating that 45% of deaths in the British army serving abroad were caused by disease rather than by conflict. Davy also records his observations on putrefaction of bodies, particularly the vital organs, emphasising the need to determine the normal condition of human organs so that abnormal, diseased organs can be easily identified.