"Dann sprang er über Bord"

Our fascination with big sailing ships is unbroken. In the extensive social-historical literature of naval history the question of how everyday life on board was psychologically experienced is totally uncharted, so is the description of psychological diseases. On the contrary, it must be assumed that a variety of psychological disorders occurred among the mostly young crew members of the sometimes completely closed system "ship". The ship was "world" for the men on board. Karl-Heinz Reger systematically examines the medical journals of the Royal Navy from the time between 1830 and 1880. Due to the double access of the psychiatrist and the historian a large number of phenomena are illustrated. After studying everyday life on board from a psychological point of view the author shows the various disorders including the phenomena of drowning and suicide. All illnesses known in modern neuro-psychiatry are to be found. Not only are 120 cases with exemplary transcriptions of the stylistically excellent English original text presented, but also all therapeutical efforts are described and the complete list of all medicines (including annotations) used on board is given. A psychoanalytical interpretation of the psychological strain and its techniques of compensation forms the final chapter.

Dr. Karl-Heinz Reger ist Historiker, Arzt für Allgemeinmedizin und Facharzt für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapeutische Medizin. Er ist tätig in eigener Praxis in Schleswig.