Sea Sick

This memoir by an East London GP recounts a 21-day cruise on a ship sailing from Southampton to Rio, when she accepted the lonely role of ship’s doctor for 1300 passengers and crew. It is a delicious mix of the hilarious- augmented by the cartoons of David Parkins, who individualises every character in the established hierarchy of the ship’s company, and the tragic stories brought to the clinic. We meet the poverty of some of the crew; the misfortunes of each of her patients; the addiction of her nursing colleague, the bureaucracy and all set against the backdrop of a rule-bound, and highly structured existence for crew and passengers. Doctor Ruth meets each challenge with skill and compassion- life-saving interventions for some- with patience and care. But she still has the energy to boogie away with her husband Tom at night on the ball room floor, as well as visiting the Atlantic resorts before Rio. So much of her adventure comes from the uncertain and the unknown. An outbreak of Norovirus places the entire company at risk and Dr Ruth learns the ropes about engaging ports and other help. Only at the end of the cruise does she discover a second doctor on board who ‘forgot’ to announce his presence on the journey. Dr Patricia D'Ardenne, Consultant Psychologist, London

Ruth pulls no punches about her hectic time as doctor on a cruise. Her vivid and amusing portrayal of those in need of succour makes compelling reading with light relief in exotic ports of call or dancing, or should that be rolling, to the beat of the ship! A good read! Wendy Hughes, Bath