|
In 1586, the large fleet of Sir Francis Drake collected lots of Spanish booty and wreaked havoc. One more raid was planned (a 'Spanish' town called Havana) after which the fleet would return to England. However there was an epidemic on-board the ships and the men were in no fit condition for any fighting and the fleet went into hiding on the June 4th. It was known that medicines based on aquardiente de cana could be used for dysentery and Richard Drake then made a medicine using aguardiente de cana, mint, limes and sugarcane juice to help it more palatable. In South America, mint is known as hierbabuena, literally, good herb. A search on the internet finds that when the bark of the chuchuhuasi tree is soaked in aguardiente (sometimes spelt aquardiente), its properties include being an anti dysenteric (for treating dysentery), digestive stimulant and febrifuge (used to treat fever). Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency, and would have been cured by drinking lime juice. In the 1700's English sailors were called limeys, because of the use of limes in their rations. Proof that this medicinal mix (later called El Draque) worked is that it was taken during cholera epidemics. In one of the worst cholera epidemics to affect Havana's population,Ramon de Paula says: "Every day at eleven in the morning, I consume a little Draque made from aquardiente and I am doing very well. This medicinal mix was administered to the sailors of Drakes fleet using a large wooden spoon with a cocks tail handle. This is thought to be where the name El Draque cocktail came from. The cure worked, the fleet raided one last place, St Augustine's watchtower and then returned home. What would have happened if this remedy had not worked? If the epidemic had not been stopped it would have killed many of the sailors on the ships. During the American Civil War, dysentery caused more deaths of Union soldiers than the Confederacy did. Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency and would have been cured by drinking lime juice. In the 17th century limes and a tot of rum were regular rations for the British Navy, which is why sailors were called Limeys. On a long voyage, scurvy was a killer. Magellan, for example, lost eighty percent of the sailors on his Pacific voyage, survivors described how they had to keep slicing the swollen tissue away off their gums in order to be able to chew their rations. Descriptions of scurvy-afflicted explorers are absolutely awful. A French translation written in 1613 says "There developed in the mouths of those who had it, large pieces of excess fungus flesh which caused a great rot. Their teeth barely held in place, and could be removed with the fingers without causing pain. Later, severe pain developed in the legs and arms, which became very hard, swollen and covered with spots like fleabites. Consequently, they had almost no strength and suffered unbearable pain. They also had severe cramps in the stomach, loins and bowels, as well as with a very bad cough and shortness of breath. Unfortunately, we could find no remedy with which to cure these symptoms". (Samuel de Champlain, 1613) From vol.1 of Champlain Society's 1971 ed., of Champlain's 1613 ed., Voyages du Sieur de Champlain Conclusion: Had the epidemic not been stopped, then possibly the fleet would have had to come out of hiding in weakened condition, and might never have been able to make. There are a number of scenarios all of which would have caused the loss of the fleet. This would have led to the subsequent success of the Spanish Armada two years later, and the fall on England to the Spanish. The authentic Drakes cocktail (El Draque) can still be found in a 'bar battersea' called the SugarCane, near the site of the old Tudor shipbuilding yard by the River Thames. A former University lecturer and technical writer for over 20 years. A place that has the El Draque cocktail is The SugarCane bar in Clapham Junction
Related Articles -
The Spanish Armada, Sir Francis Drake, el draque, dysentery, 1586, 1588, tudor shipyard, bar in clapham junction, bar,
|
