Medical journal of HMS Lyra from 1 January to 31 December 1859 by Henry M Speer,...

ADM 101/128/1A

1859

Medical journal of HMS Lyra from 1 January to 31 December 1859 by Henry M Speer, Surgeon, during which time the said ship was employed in the Cape of Good Hope

[Note: ADM 101/128, 1A and 1B are produced as a single document: order as ADM 101/128].

Folio 1: case no 1, P W Stephens, aged 23, Lieutenant; sick or hurt, mental debility the sequel of febris, since he returned from the Amgoza river on 4 September 1858, has been seized with febris symptoms till 22 October, when he was discharged to HMS Boscawen for passage to Simon’s Bay Hospital. After treatment at that place he gained strength and was discharged to this ship on 5 January 1859, as the Lyra was about to return to the Mozambique Channel, the Surgeon considered it advisable to have a survey on this patient and he was invalided on 11 January 1859 and sent to the transport Princess Chalotte for passage to England.

Folios 1-2: case no 2, Mr Edward M Shacklock, aged 30, Master; taken ill at Simon’s Bay; sick or hurt, delirium tremens; put on sick list 1 January 1859, an inquiry was ordered into the cause of the illness and a report was forwarded to the Admiralty, he was discharged to the transport Princess Charlotte.

Folios 2-3: case no 3, John Scott, aged 52, colonial seaman entered as Musician; sick or hurt, vulnus and ophthalmia, was struck near the centre of cornea of right eye by a particle; put on sick list 26 February 1859, discharged 30 March 1859 to duty.

Folios 3-4: case no 4, Jem Johnson, aged 25, Krooman; sick or hurt, dysenteria; put on sick list 20 March 1859, died 28 March 1859.

Folios 4-5: case no 5, Philip White, aged 21, Ordinary Seaman; sick or hurt, acute rheumatism, pain of shoulders and limbs; put on sick list 29 January 1859, discharged 29 March 1859 to duty.

Folios 5-6: case no 6, Henry Scott, aged 24, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, dysenteria; put on sick list 20 September 1859, discharged 27 September 1859 to duty.

Folio 6: case no 7, Tom Shilling, aged 36, Krooman; sick or hurt, dysenteria; put on sick list 30 September 1859, discharged 20 October 1859 to duty.

Folio 7: case no 8, Mr Octavius N Spong, aged 30, Paymaster; sick or hurt, delirium tremens and nervous debility, the Surgeon stated that a requisition had been made for a survey on this patient by the Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon belonging to HMS Bristol, and they agreed to send the patient to Hospital at Simon’s Bay; put on sick list 5 November 1859, discharged 14 November 1859 to HMS [Lynx?] for passage to Simon’s Bay.

Folios 7-8: case no 9, Edward Dummett, aged 19, Ordinary Seaman belonged to HMS Lynx; sick or hurt, febris remittent, he was one of a gig’s crew left at the Island of Johanna to cruise in the absence of the ship at Zanzibar, was received on board the Lyra on 10 October apparently in good health; put on sick list 20 October 1859, discharged 4 November 1859 to his own ship.

Folios 8-9: case no 10, Edward Brittain, aged 19, Ordinary Seaman belonged to HMS Lynx; sick or hurt, febris remittent; put on sick list 21 October 1859, discharged 4 November 1859 to his own ship.

Folios 9-10: case no 11, John Baldrick, aged 20, Ordinary Seaman belonged to HMS Lynx; sick or hurt, febris remittent; put on sick list 24 [October] 1859, discharged [4] November 1859 to his own ship.

Folio 10: case no 12, John Harris, aged 19, Boy 1st Class; sick or hurt, right inguinal hernia; put on sick list 8 October 1859, invalided 1 November 1859 and discharged to HMS Lynx for passage.

Folio 10: case no 13, Thomas Perry, aged 19, Boy 1st Class; sick or hurt, while bathing in a small bent but deep river at Pomony Harbour felt giddy and fell out of his depth and sunk to the bottom, he was with difficulty recovered by his messmates diving for him,…he can not gave an account of how he was seized in the water further that he felt giddy and became insensible; put on sick list 3 November 1859, discharged 6 November 1859 to duty.

Folios 10-11: case no 14, William Old, aged 36, Corporal Royal Marine; taken ill at Mauritius; sick or hurt, cynanche tonsillaris; put on sick list 15 September 1859, discharged 29 September 1859 to duty.

Folio 11: Table 1 showing a nosological synopsis during the period of this journal.

Folio 12: Table 2: A list of men who during the period of this journal, have received wounds or hurts which may disqualify them for the public service, or subsequently in any way interfere with their earning a livelihood. (Names and details follow). no on ship’s book list 20, Richard Ables, aged 37, Gunner’s Mate; hurts on 18 August 1858, severe sprained of both ankles received by falling from aloft; pension certificate granted on 8 February 1859. no on ship’s book list 11, John Harris, aged 19, Boy 1st Class; hurts on 7 October 1859, oblique inguinal hernia; pension certificate granted on [?] October 1859.

Folios 12-13: Table 4 showing number of cases of diseases, nosologically arranged, for 1 January to 31 December 1859.

Folios 13-19: Surgeon's general remarks, including notes on boat cruise in the Mozambique Channel, and meteorological remarks for 1859 and part of 1860.

Folio 20: Blank.

Folios 21-24: Daily sick list.

Folio 25: Blank.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Pay and pensions

Disease

Navy

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Africa