Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:26:33-4:28:19

Would future drugs interest the 1870s Royal Navy?

Quinine already gave the 1870s Royal Navy an established antimalarial option, so unfamiliar later drugs would not automatically be revolutionary.

Drug ResistanceHydroxychloroquineIvermectinMalariaMilitary MedicineNineteenth Century NaviesQuinineRoyal Navy
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Question

How interested would the Royal Navy of the 1870s be in a supply of hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin?

Short answer

Less than in the 1770s, because the 1870s navy already had good supplies of quinine. The reply does not establish the particular benefits of either proposed drug.

Notes

The Royal Navy already had access to substantial supplies of quinine by the 1870s, limiting the expected appeal of the hypothetical gift. The same offer in the 1770s is judged more consequential. Hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin are named in the question, but their individual suitability is not established in the reply. The later exchange considers how resistance and side effects can reduce the usefulness of medicines. Human and veterinary treatment can also involve different judgments about long-term risks.