Piece
See MH 82/12
Catalogue reference: MH 82/49
Date: 1954 Sept 16-1956 Nov 15
See MH 82/12
Item
Folios 322-327. Report from Robert Weale, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner, to the...
Catalogue reference: MH 12/9359/194
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This record is about the Folios 322-327. Report from Robert Weale, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner, to the... dating from 21 July 1842 in the series Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and.... It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- MH 12/9359/194
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Date (When the record was created)
- 21 July 1842
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Description (What the record is about)
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- Content
- Folios 322-327. Report from Robert Weale, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner, to the Poor Law Commission, enclosing copies of statements and references given on oath, also medical returns. Report on a complaint made by Messrs Alvery, Kendall, Brooks, Turner, Bramby and Cook ratepayers of the parish of Sutton in Ashfield in the Mansfield Poor Law Union, against J W Valantine, Medical Officer. A letter dated 23 May 1842, 6578/B/1842 was not received by Weale, until 21 June 1842 as it was improperly addressed. Weale contacted the complainants, Valantine and the board of guardians, fixing the 7 July 1842 for the purpose of an enquiry it being the day of the weekly meeting. Valantine is a Fellow of the London College of Medicine and prior to 1815 was a practicing Apothecary. Messrs Avery, Kendall and Brooks as well as Valantine attended. The complainants stated the following complaints: Neglect in the case of Sarah Witham wife of James Witham who died 29 January 1842. Neglect in the case of Mary Preece who died 20 March 1842. Neglect in the case of John Wilkinson, who is now ill. The complainants wanted to prefer other cases as far back as two years, but Weale suggested it was not fair to expect any officer to explain cases that had long passed, which was agreed with. Weale states that the complainants are all active members of the chartist body in Sutton in Ashfield but adds that they were 'respectful' throughout the investigation and expressed their thanks for the 'fair and inpartial manner in which [he] conducted the enquiry'. Weale encloses case reports, Mr Valantine's weekly returns and his register of sickness and mortality. Also enclosed are depositions that Mr Weale took, the resolution of the board of guardians and Mr Weale's own observations. Case of Sarah Witham. Statement made by Elizabeth Hunt, wife of Thomas Hunt, Framework Knitter of Sutton in Ashfield, and sister in law to Sarah Witham. When Sarah Witham was taken ill in January, Valantine sent her some medicine in powder form, one teaspoon was to be taken every four hours. Elizabeth Hunt believed that Valantine visited Sarah Witham before sending the powders. Sarah Witham was violently purged when Valantine visited and Hunt thought the medicine was to stop this. It is believed Valantine did not visit on the Wednesday. On Thursday Elizabeth Hunt saw Valantine and asked whether he had visited Sarah Witham and also asked what was wrong with her. Valantine said he had not visited but would do so and he told Elizabeth Hunt that Sarah Witham was suffering from a slight inflammation. It is believed Valantine visited that morning but did not leave any other medicine. When Hunt saw Sarah Witham she told her that she had not opened her bowels for three days and two nights and that she was feeling very ill. Elizabeth Hunt asked Thomas Hunt two or three times to go for Mr Valantine. When Thomas Hunt went Mr Valantine's son said he wasn't in but would tell him Mr Hunt had called when he came back. On Saturday Valantine visited Sarah Witham. He told her she was better and to take a glass of brandy. Sarah Witham did not take the brandy and continued worse all day. Elizabeth Hunt went for Valantine but he was out. Sarah Witham died between ten and eleven O'clock. Case of Sarah Witham, statement by Joseph Alvery, Framework Knitter. Within six weeks of Sarah Witham's death Joseph Alvery had a conversation with Valantine about her illness. Valantine told Alvery that he considered Sarah Witham's illness dangerous from when he was first called. Joseph Alvery asked if Valantine was in the habit of neglecting to attend patients that paid him, for a whole day. Valantine told Alvery he would not be dictated to by him. Joseph Alvery said he was not trying to dictate to Valantine but he did not consider that Sarah Witham had been treated in a proper manner. On cross examination Joseph Alvery did not recollect saying that Valantine was not a proper person to attend the poor. But he did say that if he had the power he would see Valantine dismissed from a situation that he considered he had disgraced. Joseph Alvery said he had no ill feeling towards Valantine and that he wasn't a relative of Sarah Witham but a neighbour. Alvery asked James Witham to attend the enquiry but he declined as he was receiving parochial relief and was under Mr Valantine's care at the time. Case of Sarah Witham, Mr Valantine's Defence. On Wednesday 26 January 1842, Valantine received an 'order' in the afternoon to visit Sarah, wife of James Witham, Frameworker aged 40 years. Sarah Witham had been suffering from purging and vomiting for nearly two days and nights. Sarah Witham could not account for her condition other than want of sufficient food. The family had long been deprived, but had not applied to the parish authorities or relieving officer of the district until the day Valantine was called to attend. Valantine found Sarah Witham's pulse was very feeble, intermitting and 130 per minute. She had much tenderness over the epigastrium. Valantine gave Sarah Witham a two gram pill of opium followed by the following powder in water every five hours. Of compound [Specacuanha] powder 3 gramms, Gum Tragacanth 10 gramms, Carbonate of Magnesia [8 gramms]. [Fomantations] and afterwards a large Sinapism over the part painful. Valantine remarked that the whole of frame of the patient was greatly [attenuated]. He stated the when the vomiting and purging seemed less frequent, he recommended broths. At one point he was unable to visit her owing to manifold engagements in addition to which a midwifery case interfered. The next time he saw her he found he fast sinking and ordered her some brandy and water in equal amounts. This was not done due to want of means. Valantine sent various mixtures, including opium, spirits of ammonia and camphor. Sarah Witham continued to sicken and died the same evening. Notes by Robert Weale, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner. Mr Weale notes that the complaint in the case is twofold. First that daily attendance wasn't given to the patient and secondly the mode of treatment. He points to a discrepancy as to the day the order to visit Sarah Witham was given. Weale states that Mr Valantine's account is more probable as he has documents to refer to and it will be for the [Commissioners] to judge whether Mr Valantine's explanation for the non attendance on 28 January 1842 is satisfactory. As to the mode of treatment, Valantine is surely the best judge. As Elizabeth Hunt was not in constant attendance her evidence, with regards to the medicine, is unsatisfactory. Weale feels the reason James Witham gave for not attending the enquiry is unsatisfactory as he could have given better evidence. [Continued at MH 12/9359/] Paper Number: 9651/B/1842. Poor Law Union Number 337. Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C10604535/
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MH 12
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Within the piece: MH 12/9359
Mansfield 337. (Described at item level).
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Folios 322-327. Report from Robert Weale, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner, to the...
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