Folio 3: Patrick Murphy, aged 4, Soldier's Child; disease or hurt, bronchitis. Put...

ADM 101/44/8/3

1843

Folio 3: Patrick Murphy, aged 4, Soldier's Child; disease or hurt, bronchitis. Put on sick list, 17 June 1843. Died, 19 August 1843.Suffering a combination of bronchitis and mesenteric disease when brought on board, ‘by one glance it was evident that recovery was hopeless. The child was very emaciated, with swollen oedematous legs and hollow eyes.

Folio 4: John Lee, aged 36, Convict; disease or hurt, opthalmia. Put on sick list, 20 June 1843, on board the Thames hulk at Deptford. Discharged, 20 July 1843.His eye appeared slightly puffy when examined on board the hulk before embarkation but the surgeon was assured that there was no opthalmia among the prisoners so did not reject him.

Folios 5 - 6: John Turnbull, aged 26, Soldier of the Guard; disease or hurt, disease of heart. Put on sick list, 28 June 1843, at Woolwich. Died, 30 June 1843.Complained of a pain in his lower extremities, which were found to be swollen, his skin was dry and"there was a wildness about the eye". He also admitted he had a slight headache, was altogether unwell and had frequently been in the same state. The following day he was incoherent, his headache had become violent and he suffered pains about his heart. He was found to have died quietly in his sleep the next morning. At 4am on the 30th I went to visit him, when I was told by his attendants that he was much better and sound asleep. He was asleep but it was the sleep of death.

Folios 6 - 8: Edward Morris, aged 21, Convict; disease or hurt, opthalmia. Put on sick list, 12 July 1843, at sea. Convalescent, 4 October 1843. His eye was observed to puffy looking at morning inspection, the conjunctiva lining the lid found to be slightly infected. He was eventually cured without any loss of vision.

Folios 8 - 10: Michael Mullins, aged 28, Convict; disease or hurt, opthalmia. Put on sick list, 27 August 1843, at sea. Discharged, 24 October 1843, at Hobart Town, much improved. ‘A tall powerful looking man, apparently in the enjoyment of the highest health’ he was seen to have signs of opthalmia at morning inspection. Treatment included quinine, with and without opium, belladonna, wine of opium and lotions of muriate of mercury among other things.

Folios 10 - 12: William Richards, aged 35, Convict; disease or hurt, cholera. Put on sick list, 26 July 1843, at sea. Discharged, 7 August 1843. With a report of the position of the ship, the pressure, temperature and weather conditions. Richards was taken ill in the middle of the night with severe cramps in the bowels and lower extremities. Four other convicts were attacked with the same symptoms within a few hours.

Folios 12 - 14: John Pelder, aged 22, Convict; disease or hurt, febris gravior. Put on sick list, 9 August 1843, at sea. Sent to hospital at Hobart Town, 15 October 1843. The fever was severe but not characteristic enough to be classed as synochus, synocha or typhus. He was seized with prostration of strength, headache, pains in the back and limbs, hot dry and rough skin, loss of appetite and great thirst.

Folios 14 - 16: Thomas Thomas, aged 25, Convict; disease or hurt, marasmus. Put on sick list, 20 July 1843, at sea. Died, 13 October 1843. One of two convicts who had declared themselves incapable of eating animal flesh on board the hulks. They were allowed extra bread and vegetables but the surgeon was determined to keep them to their base allowance since neither could give any reason other than that they had never been able to eat meat. They refused all meat for three weeks and then were given plain rice which they enjoyed. After two days, however, the surgeon ordered concentrated soup to be mixed with their rice without their knowledge, causing both of them to vomit but convincing the surgeon they really were unable to eat meat. They were given extra bread, flour and [raisins] but before long both were losing flesh and suffered boils, followed by derangement of the bowels. The other convict [who is not named] did better and was sent to the hospital on arrival at Hobart, where an abundance of fresh vegetables aided his quick recovery.

Folios 17 - 24: Blank.

Folio 25: A nosological synopsis of the sick book kept during the period of this journal, in conformity with the 30th article of the Surgeon's Instructions.

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