[* Captain Cook told me, that the malt held out sufficiently good for the two first years; but that in the third, having lost much of its taste, he doubted whether it retained any of its virtues.  Mr. Patten however observed, that though the malt at that time was sensibly decayed, yet nevertheless he had still found it useful when he employed a large proportion of it to make the infusion.]

[** In these proportions I found the water taste just acidulous and pleasant.]

But if the fixed air and acids are such preservatives against the scurvy, why should Captain Cook make so little account of the rob of lemons and of oranges (for so they have called the extracts or inspissated juices of those fruits) in treating that distemper?  This I found was the reason.  These preparations being only sent out upon trial, the surgeon of the ship was told, at a conjecture, how much he might give for a dose, but without strictly limiting it.  The experiment was made with the quantity specified, but with so little advantage, that judging it not adviseable to lose more time, he set about the cure with the wort only, whereof the efficacy he was certain; whilst he reserved these robs for other purposes; more particularly for colds, when, to a large draught of warm water, with some spirits and sugar, he added a spoonful of one of them, and with this composition made a grateful sudorific that answered the intention.  No wonder then if Captain Cook, not knowing the proper dose of these concentrated juices for the scurvy, but feeing them fail as they were given in the trial, should entertain no great opinion of their antiscorbutic virtue.  It may be also proper to take notice, that as they had been reduced to a small proportion of their bulk by evaporation upon fire, it is probable, they were much weakened by that process, and that with their aqueous parts they had lost not a little of their aerial, on which so much of their antiseptic power depended.  If, therefore, a further trial of these excellent fruits were to be made, it would seem more adviseable to send to sea the purified juices entire in casks; agreeably to a proposal I find hath been made to the Admiralty some years ago by an ingenious and experienced surgeon of the navy.  For in truth, the testimonies in favour of the salutary qualities of these acids are so numerous and so strong, that I should look upon some failures, even in cases where their want of success cannot so well be accounted for, as in this voyage, not a sufficient reason for striking them out of the list of the most powerful preservatives against this consuming malady of sailors.