In the annals of writing by physicians from the long eighteenth century, there exists a neglected subset that demands greater attention: the writing of slave-ship surgeons. Such physicians existed on many slave ships, and they were required to attend the crew and kidnapped Africans during the Middle Passage to the colonies. They were also required to keep meticulous records, which became the basis for some of the most powerful evidence brought to bear by parliamentary committees tasked with investigating the slave trade in Britain. I argue that the literary productions of slave-ship surgeons, such as Thomas Trotter's Sea-Weeds (1829) and Thomas Boulton's The Sailor's Farewell (1768), can also shed light on their experiences. The writings of slave-ship surgeons offer an intriguing glimpse into the cognitive dissonance these doctors felt in answering their calling in circumstances designed to undermine its basic principle: to treat and foster human life.

中文翻译：

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“医生与魔鬼”：奴隶船外科医生的文学创作

在漫长的 18 世纪医生的著作编年史中，有一个被忽视的子集需要更多关注：奴隶船外科医生的著作。许多奴隶船上都有这样的医生，他们被要求在前往殖民地的中间航道期间照顾船员并绑架非洲人。他们还被要求保留详细的记录，这成为负责调查英国奴隶贸易的议会委员会提供的一些最有力证据的基础。我认为奴隶船外科医生的文学作品，如托马斯·特罗特的《海草》（1829 年）和托马斯·博尔顿的《水手的告别》(1768)，也可以阐明他们的经历。奴隶船外科医生的着作提供了一个有趣的视角，让我们得以一窥这些医生在旨在破坏其基本原则（治疗和培养人类生命）的情况下回应他们的呼唤时所感受到的认知失调。