bloody truth#1 Scurvy

More pirates died of scurvy at sea than sword fights
and cannon battles combined.

bloody truth#2 Death Proof

If you survived more than five years as a pirate, you could count yourself lucky.

bloody truth#3 Death Magnet

Pirates believed that a dead body aboard a ship would cause the compass to stray from north.

bloody truth#4 Severance Pay

Pirates who lost limbs
in battle earned an extra cut of the loot.

bloody truth#5 Surgery at Sea

Even a small cut could turn gangrenous.
The cure? Cut off
the limb.

bloody truth#6 Death from Above

There was no safety net — pirates who fell from the rigging could die instantly.

bloody truth#7 Bite the Bullet

Surgeons wouldn't give patients anything for pain during an operation, not even alcohol.

bloody truth#8 Zero Tolerance

The mutilated bodies of pirates who stole from their crew were
left at the nearest
port of call to fend
for themselves.

bloody truth#9 Bloodied Flesh

If a pirate lost an eye in battle,
the surgeon might stuff the socket with tallum and oakum,
and then cover it
with a patch.

bloody truth#10 Kingdom of Rats

Pirates would kill hundreds of rats on a single voyage. Otherwise, the vermin would bite though ropes, food, and pirates.