Possible Clues:

• Nasty treatment
• Something caught, disease ultimately getting poor treatment
• Battery, e.g
• Bully has muscle to employ
• Given poor treatment, one caught disease in the end
• You'd swear that's the way to give a seaman employment
• Berate - exploitation
• Violate a warranty
• You'd swear a seaman might employ this
• Rate Ben Adam's bearing