Economics without ethics? Medical treatment of African slaves aboard Dutch West India Company and private slave ships

Abstract

This article discusses the treatment of enslaved Africans by the Dutch during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Treatment is interpreted in two ways – morally and medically. Moral treatment is primarily defined by the Dutch Reformed Church and its religious dogmata. Despite the importance of this church in the provision of pastors and comforters of the sick ( ziekentroosters), information about its role in providing a religious, moral compass to its members regarding slavery and slave trade is scattered. Medical treatment – both preventive and curative in nature – is discussed as well. The slaves were subjected to abominable living conditions prior to their departure. Although it seems fair to state that these conditions did not improve while sailing westward, for various reasons preventive and curative medical measures were taken by ships' surgeons – and to a lesser extent by comforters of the sick.