Medical journal of HMS Plover, from 1 July 1852 to 30 June 1853 by John Simpson (b),...

ADM 101/113/3A

1852-1853

Medical journal of HMS Plover, from 1 July 1852 to 30 June 1853 by John Simpson (b), Surgeon, during which time the ship was employed in the Arctic searching expedition, Behring’s Straits and Arctic sea.

[Note: ADM 101/113/3, 3A-3C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 101/113/3].

Folios 1-2: Copy of sick list. Folio 3: case no. 1, William Martin, aged 27, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, hernia & eruption; put on sick list 8 September 1852, discharged 17 September 1852 to duty.

Folios 4-5: case no. 2, Robert Macfarlane, aged 24, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, frostbite; put on sick list 18 November 1852, discharged 2 February 1853 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folio 5: case no. 3, Mr. John Seath, aged 38, Carpenter; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 14 December 1852, discharged 25 December 1852 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folios 5-6: case no. 4, Patrick Morgan, aged 32, Carpenter’s Mate; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 14 December 1852, discharged 1 January 1853 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folios 6-7: case no. 5, Henry Steward, aged 27, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 16 December 1852, discharged 1 January 1853 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folio 7: case no. 6, Joseph Faigun, aged 29, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, pleuritis; put on sick list 26 December 1852, discharged 2 January 1853 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folio 8: case no. 7, William Rickman, aged 27, Able Seaman; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 1 February 1853, discharged 7 March 1853 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folio 9: case no. 8, William Heard, aged 27, Corporal Royal Marine; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 3 February 1853, discharged 9 February 1853 to duty at Point Barrow.

Folio 9: Nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal. Folio 10: The following is a list of men who received wounds or hurts during the period of this journal. No. on the ship’s book 60, William Martin, aged 27, Able Seaman; pension not granted; nature of hurts, inguinal hernia of right side, between 1 July 1852 and 6 August 1852. No. on the ship’s book 73, Robert Macfarlane, aged 24, Able Seaman; pension not granted; nature of hurts, frostbite of right great toe. No. on the ship’s book not stated, Rochfort Maguire, aged 37, Commander; pension not granted; nature of hurts, frostbite of the under surface of the right heel.

Folios 10-12: Tables of medical statistics.

Folios 12-16: Surgeon’s general remarks. On the 1 July 1852, at Grantley Harbour where the ship wintered, a number of the officers were superseded from the Plover and a considerable portion of the crew obtained permission to leave were replaced by others from the Amphitrite. The Surgeon describes the geographical features of Point Barrow, situated on the northern part of the American continent west of Mackenzie River. He also describes diseases which prevailed on board the ship – bronchitis, pleurisy, catarrh, hepatitis, gonorrhoea, phymosis, rheumatism, phlegmon, ophthalmia and scurvy. Included in the general remarks is a table of mean temperatures between July 1852 and June 1853.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Travel and tourism

Pay and pensions

Polar

Disease

Navy

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)