Doctors At Sea: Emigrant Voyages To Colonial Australia

Biography & Memoir History Australiana

Robin Haines’ Doctors at Sea tracks the little-known surgeons who safeguarded 19th-century emigrant voyages to colonial Australia. This 2005 illustrated hardcover blends biography with maritime history, showing how shipboard medicine shaped the nation’s early population.

The 248-page narrative draws on surgeons’ journals and immigrant letters, spotlighting their battles with scurvy, fever, and cramped quarters. Haines, acclaimed for her social-history lens, delivers a gripping account that appeals to Australian history buffs and medical-history collectors alike.

This very-good copy keeps its crisp dust jacket and tight binding; previous owner’s name on the front inner cover is the only mark. Clean, uncreased pages and generous illustrations make it ready for immediate enjoyment or gift-giving.

An inscribed edition (not author-signed) adds a personal touch without premium pricing. Stored smoke-free, it’s a sturdy addition to any Australiana, maritime, or antiquarian shelf.