On the latest episode of Outlander, titled “The Doldrums,” Claire and Jamie set sail on The Artemis in search of young Ian, who has been kidnapped by pirates aboard a ship called The Bruja flying under a Portuguese flag. Once aboard, they are overtaken by a Man o’ War, a famous type of British naval ship with three masts and a crew numbering nearly 500 (some sources say up to 800).
But this Man o’ War, called The Porpoise, doesn’t want to loot The Artemis or press its men into service; the crew is actually suffering from a bout of typhoid fever and its captain needs Claire’s medical assistance right away. But just why is typhoid fever so dangerous?This bacterial infection is brought on by exposure to salmonella typhi, which grows in intestines and blood. It is spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by the feces of an infected person; it is treated with antibiotics.
The reason this is such a huge deal for the crew of The Porpoise is because on an 18th-century ship, the bathroom facilities are not exactly super hygienic. So if one person gets infected, it can rapidly spread throughout…
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