Lee: another view

[Carl Remick]

>From: Daniel Davies <d_squared_2002 at yahoo.co.uk>
> > A former slave of Lee tells how he
> > tried to escape, was
> > caught, then whipped by an overseer under Lee's
> > personal supervision ("Lay
> > it on well", quoth the Marble Man), then treated to
> > a bath of salt water
> > for his wounds.
>
>Not wanting to enter this debate, but that's not an
>act of cruelty.  It was also common practice in the
>British Navy; the point being that salt water was
>pretty much the only widely available disinfectant.

Ah, well that settles it then.  If as humanitarian an outfit as the Royal 
Navy was swabbing its floggees with salt water, then obviously the aim was 
to prevent infection and not intensify the agony for the amusement of the 
officers.  Thanks for the correction, DD!

Carl
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