Photograph

Title: Seamen Waiting to see the Doctor at Well Street Seamen's Hospital

Producer: The Graphic

Date: 28 February 1881

Accession number: DK3301NG

This hospital was situated near the docks in Wapping and the waiting room contains seamen of various nationalities. On arrival in port, some foreign and British seamen were suffering from tropical diseases. Special hospitals were set up to treat the sick as well as a School of Tropical Medicine to study the strange illnesses. Many foreign sailors also suffered ill health due to brutal physical treatment on board ship, a poor diet and the cramped and dirty accommodation provided by the shipping companies. Additionally, they were exposed to the cold, damp climate of Britain and were prone to diseases transmitted by prostitutes.