Medical and surgical journal of Her Majesty?s steam vessel Pioneer for 21 April 1852...

Medical and surgical journal of Her Majesty’s steam vessel Pioneer for 21 April 1852 to 1 October 1853 by John Bernard Ricards, Assistant Surgeon, during which time the said ship was employed as an Arctic discovery ship.

[Note: ADM 101/113/1A and 1B are produced as a single document: order as ADM 101/113/1].

Folios 1-2: Copy of the daily sick book. Folios 2-3: James Harwood, aged 27, acting assistant Engineer 1st Class; case number 1; disease or hurt, epilepsia. Put on sick list, 20 June 1852. Discharged 22 June 1852 to duty. Harwood also suffered similar attacks of epilepsy on 1 December 1852, 27 April 1853 and 28 June 1853.

Folios 3-6: John Hales, aged 35, stoker; case number 2; disease or hurt, bronchitis. Put on sick list, 19 June 1852. Discharged 15 August 1852.

Folios 6-9: John Green, aged 30, private, marine; case number 3; disease or hurt, peritonitis. Put on sick list, 4 August 1852. Discharged 1 September 1852.

Folios 9-11: Arthur Dickens, aged 38, captain of the forecastle; case number 4; disease or hurt, dislocation of the sterna end of the right clavicle in consequence of a fall. Put on sick list, 2 January 1853. Discharged 22 January 1853 to duty.

Folios 11-13: George Harris, aged 30, able seaman; case number 5; disease or hurt, purpura nautica. Put on sick list, 26 June 1853. Still on sick list 1 October 1853. Folio 13: A nosological synopsis of the sick book kept during the period of the journal.

Folio 14: A list of men who have received wounds or hurts, during the period of the journal. [No names recorded]. Folios 14-15: A table showing the number of cases between 1 April and 31 December 1852 nosologically arranged. Mean numerical strength of ship’s company for the period, 30.

Folios 15-16: A table showing the number of cases between 1 January to 1 October 1853 nosologically arranged. Mean numerical strength of ship’s company for the period, 30.

Folios 16-20: Surgeon’s general remarks. On the morning of 21 April 1852, HMS Pioneer left Greenhithe in company with the other ships of the expedition under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher for the purpose of making one more effort to ascertain the fate of Sir John Franklin and his companions, directing our explorations more particularly to Wellington Channel and its vicinity. Description of Whale Fish Islands, with mention of numerous seal and its waters full of fish, mollusc and algae. On one of the Islands, the Surgeon notes, are several men, women and children (about 40 in total) that live on seal fishing. He describes these people and the diseases they are most susceptible to. Reference is also made to birds, for example, Doacca (Colymbus Grylle), Rotje (Alca Alle); Eider Duck (heralda glacialis), Loon (Colymbus troille), Tern (sterna arctica) and Mollemoke (procellaria glacialis), lesser Red Pole (fringulla linaria) and some plover species (folio 17). Makes mention of a Danish settlement on the Island of Disco and describes it and its inhabitants. Provides further remarks about the expedition, the Winter Quarters at Beechey Island. States that the White Whale (delphinapteus beluga) and walrus were seen in the Northumberland Sound (folio 18). Medical remarks about the expedition can be found on folios 19-20.

Folio 20: An abstract of the Meteorological journal kept on board between 21 April 1852 to 1 October 1853.

Topics

Children

Disease

Navy

Fishing

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Sex and gender