‘Jack, Hove Down _ With a Grog Blossom Fever’, 1811

Description

Mounted hand coloured etching, entitled ‘JACK, hove down _ with a Grog Blossom Fever.’, designed and etched by William “XYZ” Elmes, and published by Thomas Tegg in 1811.

In ‘JACK, hove down _ with a Grog Blossom Fever.’ a thin elderly doctor crouches before a brawny but invalid, inebriate and pock-marked seaman lying sick in his hammock. Both are typical caricatures in their dress and speech and give an interesting insight into the lay perception of both.

The doctor is old fashioned in a long frock coat, wearing a powdered wig, spectacles and a cocked hat. He carries a gold headed under his arm. In his left hand he holds a box of “Pills”, in his right hand is a bottle labelled “a Sweat”. His pocket bulges with a gushing “Clyster” and a bottle labelled “Jollop”. Beside him is a pestle and and mortar and a cannon and two cannonballs (which at this time were commonly called “pills” for obvoius reasons).

The doctor says: ” ‘hold – I must stop your Grog Jack – it excites those impulses, and concussions