Medical journal of HMS Curacoa , from 1 July 1841 to 20 September 1842 by William...

ADM 101/95/4A

1841-1842

Medical journal of HMS Curacoa, from 1 July 1841 to 20 September 1842 by William Gunn, Surgeon, during which time the ship was employed in the Pacific and Brazil Station.

[Note: ADM 101/95/4, 4A-4B are produced as a single document: order as ADM 101/95/4].

Folio 1: List of Surgeons with dates of when their journals were received by the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets.

Folios 2-9: Copy of sick list.

Folio 10: case no 1, Mr W G Cox, aged 50, Purser; taken ill at Valparaiso; sick or hurt, stricture of urethra; put on sick list 7 July 1841, invalided 7 July 1841.

Folios 10-11: case no 2, John Beattie, aged 21, Ordinary Seaman; taken ill at Island of Eimeo; sick or hurt, vulnus, struck by mizzen top gallant yard on the back of the head; put on sick list 7 September 1841, discharged 8 October 1841 to duty, a pension certificate was granted.

Folios 12-14: case no 3, John Carter, aged 49, Able Seaman; taken ill at Karakaooa [Karakakooa] Bay; sick or hurt, catarrh; put on sick list 29 September 1841, discharged 7 November 1841 to duty.

Folios 14-19: case no 4, C F Wade, aged 31, Lieutenant; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatism; put on sick list 24 October 1841, discharged 13 December 1841 to Sick Quarters.

Folios 19-20: case no 5, Charles King, aged 22, Ordinary Seaman; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, epilepsia; put on sick list 26 October 1841, discharged 22 November 1841 to duty.

Folio 20: case no 6, William Preston, aged 37, Private Marine; taken ill at San Blas; sick or hurt, ulcus; put on sick list 24 January 1842, invalided 25 January 1842.

Folio 21: case no 7, C F Wade, aged 31, Lieutenant; taken ill at San Blas; sick or hurt, rheumatism; put on sick list 9 May 1842, invalided 10 May 1842.

Folios 22-26: case no 8, C F Newland, aged 31, Lieutenant; taken ill at Mazatlan; sick or hurt, fracture compound, his gun sent off the charge lodging in the back of the right hand; put on sick list 19 May 1842, discharged 13 September 1842 to duty.

Folios 26-28: case no 9, the Honorable Frederick Curzon, aged 18, Midshipman; taken ill at Mazatlan; sick or hurt, synochus; put on sick list 26 May 1842, discharged 16 July 1842 to duty.

Folio 28: Nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal.

Folio 29: List of men who have received wounds or hurts during the period of this journal.

Folio 29: number on the ship's book not stated, John Beattie, aged 21, Ordinary Seaman; pension granted on 20 September 1841; nature of hurt, when sending top gallant yards down he was stationed on the poop to attend the starboard main top gallant brace, when the mizzen top gallant yard fell from the rigging and struck him on the back part of the head, on 6 September 1841.

Folios 29-43: Surgeon's general remarks, on the ship's movements between places such as Valparaiso, Callao, Pitcairn's Island, Tahiti, Eimeo, Hawaii, Montarey, San Blas, Mazatlan, and QuayMas. The Surgeon's passing remarks on case no 9, case no 4, case no 7, case no 2. And Case no 3. Also included are Surgeon's notes on the inhabitants of Pitcairn Island, in which he states that the inhabitants were double the number at the time of an earlier visit by the Blossom commanded by [Frederick William] Beechey in 1825. He described their habitation as more substantial and better built than any in the Polynesian Islands, and he stated that there was only one pane of glass on the Island, which was a relick of the 'Bounty'. Also remarks on the diseases of the inhabitants of the Society Islands [Tahiti] and Sandwich Islands.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Pay and pensions

Weapons

Australia and Pacific

Navy

Americas

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)