John Atkins (naval surgeon) facts for kids
John Atkins (1685–1757) was an English naval surgeon and a writer. He worked as a doctor on ships for the Royal Navy.
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John Atkins started his medical training as a surgeon's helper. He quickly joined the navy. In 1704, he treated wounded sailors after a big naval battle near Málaga.
In 1711, Atkins served on a warship called HMS Lion. During a battle, the ship's captain, Galfridus Walpole, was badly hurt. Atkins performed surgery to save the captain's life. He stayed with the captain for two nights to make sure he recovered well.
Atkins hoped his dedication would earn him the captain's respect. However, Captain Walpole did not thank him. Atkins noted that the captain was very careful with money.
Fighting Pirates in Africa
In 1721, Atkins sailed to the coast of West Africa. He was on the HMS Swallow and HMS Weymouth. Their mission was to stop pirates. They visited places like Sierra Leone and Elmina.
Near Cape Lopez, they captured 270 pirates. They also found a lot of gold dust. Atkins helped with the trials for the captured pirates. He worked very hard for many days.
During this voyage, many crew members got sick and died. Atkins even had to take on another job as a purser because so few people were left. After Africa, they sailed to Brazil and the West Indies. In 1723, the ships returned to England.
John Atkins' Books
After his time in the navy, John Atkins started writing books. He published two important works.
His first book, The Navy Surgeon, came out in 1732. It was a guide to surgery. It also included his thoughts on different medical treatments. Atkins was a careful observer, but he also had some strong opinions.
The book shared many of his real-life medical cases. These stories are considered the best part of the book. Atkins also showed that he had read many other medical and literary books. He knew works by famous writers like Horace, Juvenal, Pope, and Milton.
A Voyage to Guinea
In 1735, Atkins published A Voyage to Guinea, Brazil, and the West Indies. This book described his journey on the HMS Swallow and HMS Weymouth. It shared many interesting facts about the slave trade at the time. It also talked about the natural history of the Gold Coast region in Africa.
Atkins accurately described animals like the manatee. He also wrote about the winds and ocean currents. His writings show that he was an intelligent and honest person.
Atkins was one of the first scientists to suggest that different human races came from different parents. He wrote about this idea in his book A Voyage to Guinea.
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