The Law regarding the issue of Lime Juice

to British Merchant Mariners (amongst things)

Source: An Act to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to Merchant Seamen; and for keeping a Register of Seamen; General Public Statutes; 7^th & 8^th Victoria; 1844; Cap. CXII

[5^th September 1844.]

XVIII. And be it enacted, That every Ship navigating between the United Kingdom and any Place out of the same shall have and keep constantly on board a sufficient Supply of Medicines and Medicaments suitable to Accidents and Diseases arising on Sea Voyages, in accordance with the Scale which shall from Time to Time or at any Time be issued by the Lord High Admiral, or by the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, and published in the London Gazette; and every Ship (except those bound to European Ports or to Ports in the Mediterranean Sea) shall also have on board a sufficient Quantity of Lime or Lemon Juice, Sugar, and Vinegar to be served out to the Crew whenever they shall have been consuming salt Provisions for Ten Days; the Lime or Lemon Juice and Sugar daily, after the Rate of Half an Ounce each per Day, and the Vinegar weekly, at the Rate of Half a Pint per Week to each Person, so long as the Consumption of salt Provisions be continued; and in case any Default shall be made in providing and keeping such Medicines, Medicaments, and Lime or Lemon Juice, Sugar, and Vinegar, the Owner of the Ship shall incur a Penalty of Twenty Pounds for each and every Default; and in case of Default of serving out such Lime or Lemon Juice, Sugar, or Vinegar as aforesaid, the Master shall incur a Penalty of Five Pounds for each and every Default; and in case the Master or any Seaman shall receive any Hurt or Injury in the Service of the Ship, the Expense of providing the necessary surgical and medical Advice, with Attendance and Medicines, and for his Subsistence until he shall have been cured, or shall have been brought back to some Port of the United Kingdom, shall, together with the Costs of his Conveyance to the United Kingdom, be defrayed by the said Owner of the Ship without any Deduction whatever on that Account from the Wages of such Master or Seaman; and, if paid by any Officer or other Person on behalf of Her Majesty, the Amount, with full Costs of Suit, shall be recovered as a Debt due to Her Majesty; and every Ship having One hundred Persons or upwards on board, and every Ship the Voyage of which shall be deemed under the Provisions of the Act passed in the Sixth Year of the Reign of Her present Majesty, intituled An Act for regulating the Carriage of Passengers in Merchant Vessels, to exceed Twelve Weeks, having Fifty Persons or upwards on board, shall have on board, as one of her Complement, some Person duly authorized by Law to practice in this Kingdom as a Physician, Surgeon, or Apothecary; and in case of every Default the Owner shall incur a Penalty not exceeding One hundred Pounds.

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Of course, in reality the reasoning behind the issue of ‘limers’ was not necessarily understood, or followed.

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