Could It Be the Congos?

This ground-breaking work offers a detailed exploration of the diagnosis and treatment of yellow fever by British military doctors in the Caribbean during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Focusing primarily on Barbados, the book presents a collection of transcripts from medical reports, accompanied by extensive annotations and a comprehensive historiographical essay that contextualizes the research within its historical framework.

Through the voices of the practitioners themselves, the study sheds light on the medical practices of the time, allowing readers to engage directly with the doctors’ writings. Each chapter delves into reports from various Caribbean territories, including Antigua, British Guiana, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent, Tobago, and Trinidad, providing a rich tapestry of insights into how yellow fever was perceived and treated across the region.