Occurring in nature by sailors in ancient times; It was believed that natural phenomena such as storm, wind, and currents were caused by supernatural forces. Deadly outbreaks and infectious diseases were also considered the wrath of the creator. Because of these thoughts, before embarking on an expedition, devotees were made by the sailors to protect themselves from demons, evil spirits, and demons, and to complete their journey safely. They asked the creator to send a beautiful storm during the cruise and bring good luck to themselves.

It is found in Ancient Greek legends that the sailors took the curse of the gods for their sins and experienced evil events. More accurately than these stories, the most famous of these legends is the story of Odysseus, whom Poseidon and Athena cursed. Odysseus, struggling with all kinds of troubles for 10 years and eliminating these troubles, left the seas and returned home. During his 10-year cruise at sea, he encountered many supernatural creatures and lost many of his crew.

When attention is paid to language-to-language myths, we may think that many of these supernatural powers transmitted to the seas depict epidemic diseases, because it is often the method used to base the cause of any disease that occurred in ancient times when viruses and microbes were not yet known. Diseases such as plague, typhus, or typhoid fever with high fever have led to the emergence of hallucinations that are the source of supernatural powers or extraordinary creatures mentioned in legends.

Many common diseases have been seen among seafarers in the past. Many sailors died from these diseases until modern medicine methods were developed. The plague that led to the life of seafarers was the plague until the 18th century. Living conditions on the ships were not very good. In unhygienic environments, diseases appeared rapidly and spread at the same rate. The most important cause of this disease was mice transported in warehouses. The disease passed on to mice through infected fleas was also transmitted from mice to humans.

This disease could also be passed on to the person in the feces of the flea or contact with the patient. The disease manifested itself within 2 to 8 days after the microbe penetrated the body. Among the symptoms of the disease; sudden back and low back pain, chills, vomiting, shortness of breath, weakness, skin spots, nosebleeds, inguinal pain, spitting blood and persistent absent-mindedness have been observed. The lymph nodes of the person suffering from this disease were constantly swelling, and when bleeding occurred in the organs and under the skin, black spots appeared on the skin. Another name for this disease is Bubonic Plague. Another name for the disease was Black Death due to the black spots caused by this disease.

The first major plague epidemic in the history of the world occurred in the 7th century on the Mediterranean coast. This disease was also transmitted to all port cities on the trade route in a short time. The biggest plague epidemic in history has also emerged in China in 1331. This disease reached Crimea in 1345 and reached Istanbul in 1347 and the port of Messina in Sicily in the autumn season. The great plague epidemic that took place in 1348 and 1350 affected all trade ports in the Mediterranean. This disease also destroyed 1/3 of the European population.

The disease was progressing rapidly during this period. The ship, moving from any port due to illness, could not reach the point it wanted to go. Most of the crew were dying on the road due to illness. So much so that there were times when the entire crew died from the disease. This resulted in ghost ships wandering in the Mediterranean with no crew left on some ships. Because of the fear, no one could touch these ghost ships.

Desperate because of the disease, seafarers prayed to some idols, saints, and saints that they regarded as sacred as a solution to the epidemic and applied to some objects left by the saints. When the outbreak could not be prevented in any way, isolation applications called quarantine were initiated and ships harboring illness were forced to draw a yellow flag. When one or more of the crew or passengers got sick, a yellow flag was hoisted on the ship, and nobody was allowed to leave the harbor for 30 to 40 days.

Another disease that frightened and threatened the seafarers, in the same way, was syphilis, which surrounded Asia and Europe in the 16th century. Another name for this disease is syphilis. Although the origin of the disease is not known exactly, it is rumored that Columbus, who returned from America, moved to Europe by the ship's employees. The first syphilis outbreak that took place in the official records in Europe occurred in 1494 and 1495 during the occupation of the French in Naples. Therefore, this disease was first named as French Disease. For this reason, it passed into our tongue under the name syphilis. In the following years, the disease spread to the Mediterranean shores due to heavy sea traffic. It was transmitted to the Far East by Vasco do Gama's expedition to India.

Swelling, called gom, occurs at the last stage of this sexually transmitted disease. The skeletal structure of the person is deformed, and severe pains appear in the body. If this disease is not treated immediately, mental dysfunctions occur. Apart from this situation, general paralysis is among the cases seen. The situation caused by this eventually becomes death. Deaths have increased among seafarers as a result of malnutrition. With the development of conservation techniques, the type of foodstuffs consumed on ships has increased.

The main sources of nutrition of the sailors consisted of pickled meat, dry rusks, and dried legumes. Fish kept by seafarers during the cruise were also among the products consumed. Fresh fruits and vegetables were taken to the deck when the ship reached the port, which could not be stored for long journeys. A journey across the ocean was already taking at least 4 or 5 weeks.

During this journey, when seafarers remained without vitamins, they had to struggle with a dangerous disease called scurvy. Fatigue was the first symptom of scurvy. This was followed by gum recession, bruises on the skin and rolling hair. Since the body was deprived of vitamin C for a long time, it was observed that fatigue, weakness, decreased appetite, late healing of wounds, dryness, and cracks in the skin, swelling in the joints, and finally the death of the body appeared. This disease was first described by Hippocrates.

This disease was a very common disease among pirates and sailors. This disease often resulted in death. This disease was a disease that adversely affected sea voyages. Due to this disease, most of the crew died on long journeys. Since the age of discoveries, thousands of seafarers have been living due to this disease. All the time losses that occurred during the trip were accelerating the progress of scurvy. When a ship lost its route in 1741 due to a longitudinal mistake, after desperately navigating the sea for 3 months, 237 sailors from 521 crews died from scurvy.

Until the middle of the 18th century, it was not understood that scurvy occurred due to vitamin C deprivation. It has been determined by James Cook that it is possible to protect from scurvy by eating fruits and vegetables. James Cook put sauerkraut in the seafarers' caravan for his second trip in 1772. Cabbage leaves, cut thinly and left in brine, were like a storehouse of vitamin C. The sauerkraut consumed in this way also protected sailors from scurvy. Sauerkraut has been replaced by marble lime over time. Until this time, cabbage leaves were used by the Royal Navy.

Another seafarer disease that has been called since has also emerged as a result of poor nutrition. In Asian countries where consumption of shellless rice was high, this disease was frequently seen. The first person to describe his illness ever since was a Dutch doctor named Jacob Bonitos who served on the island of Java in 1630. Since its wet and dry varieties, it has been determined that the disease has been due to vitamin B1 deficiency and this vitamin is also present in rice shells. In the wet type of this disease, the heart muscle relaxes and the patient experiences weakness and edema. In the dry type of the disease, the nerves leading to the basic organs of destruction are damaged and the walking disorders of the patient appear.

169 of 376 people have been infected since a 9-month mission from Japan to Hawaii in 1883. 25 of those who got this disease died. Since Japan's medical doctor, who has been working in the navy, his findings of the disease have brought about this disease. He has since revealed that his illness occurred in a low-ranking crew who ate nothing but rice. Western sailors, who had a western-style eating habit, did not suffer from this disease.

Another seafarer disease, called Beriberi, has also emerged as a result of malnutrition. In Asian countries where consumption of shellless rice was high, this disease was frequently seen. Since it was the first time to describe his illness, he was a Dutch doctor named Jacob Bonitos who served on the island of Java in 1630. Since it was wet and dry varieties, it has been determined that the disease is due to vitamin B1 deficiency and this vitamin is included in rice shells. In the wet type of this disease, the heart muscle relaxes and the patient experiences weakness and edema. In the dry type of the disease, the nerves leading to the basic organs of destruction are damaged and the walking disorders of the patient appear.

169 of 376 people have been infected since a 9-month mission from Japan to Hawaii in 1883. 25 of those who got this disease died. Since the medical doctor of Japan, who served in the navy, his findings of the disease have brought about the solution of this disease. Since the illness has been revealed to occur in a low-ranking crew who does not eat anything but rice. Western sailors, who had a western-style eating habit, did not suffer from this disease.

Drinking water on ships was generally kept in barrels. However, when the travel times were extended, these waters were becoming undrinkable. For the water to last for a very long time, vinegar was mixed in it before setting off. This method was a temporary method rather than a long-term method. Some seafarers were pouring alcohol into the water so that the water that was waited could become drinkable again. Diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, transmitted by dirty food and dirty water, caused serious fatal outbreaks on ships.

Bacteria were present in untreated drinking water. This situation caused cholera. A person caught in cholera was suffering from diarrhea due to infection and then passed away. Long-standing waters in the barrels on the ship and seafood that are not preserved in a hygienic environment have also caused dysentery, which occurs in the form of intestinal infection.

Typhoid, which is contaminated with unclean food, revealed its important symptoms within 7 to 15 days of reaching the human body. Another name for this disease is Karahumma. In filthy and dark environments, where lice easily find a spreading medium, people lying on the bottom also have typhus disease. Typical and steady intervals from the 15th century to the 19th century, typhus disease was frequently seen in refugee ships and ships carrying slaves. More than 20,000 people died in the typhus epidemic in Canada. These diseases, which were a nightmare for seafarers in time, are easily treated today. These diseases, which are widely seen and spread on ships, are now history. Gone are the days when these diseases took thousands of lives, but the yellow quarantine flag is still used more symbolically.