Medical journal of the Burrell male convict ship carrying 192 prisoners, from 26...

ADM 101/14/1

1830-1831

Medical journal of the Burrell male convict ship carrying 192 prisoners, from 26 June 1830 to 3 January 1831, sailing to Sydney, New South Wales by William West, surgeon and superintendent.

Folios 1-4: William Davis, aged 25, convict from the Justitia hulk at Woolwich; disease or hurt, mania. Taken ill, 1 August 1830 at sea. Died at sea on 20 August 1830.

Folio 5: John Donald, aged 20, crew; disease or hurt, fractured the right clavicle near its sterna extremity by a fall. Taken ill, 8 August 1830 at sea. Discharged cured 21 September 1830.

Folio 5: James Malcolm, aged 41, convict; disease or hurt, hemaralopia [although the surgeon refers to the symptoms as night blindness. The surgeon also mentions that another eight prisoners are suffering with the same condition]. Taken ill, 7 September 1830 at sea. Discharged cured 13 September 1830.

Folio 6: John Donohoo, aged 16, drummer; disease or hurt, fractured clavicle caused by a fall down the after hatchway.Taken ill, 15 September 1830 at sea. Discharged to duty 28 October 1830.

Folios 6-8: Soloman [Wakfars?], aged 19, prisoner; disease or hurt, Atrophia. Taken ill, 17 September 1830 at sea. Discharged cured 3 November 1830 at Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope.

Folios 8-10: Henry Knight, aged 15, prisoner; disease or hurt, scorbutus. Taken ill, 24 September 1830 at sea. Discharged cured 12 November 1830 at sea. Folio 11: Robert Cooper, aged 27, prisoner; disease or hurt, cachexia. Taken ill, 9 October 1830 at sea. Died 12 October 1830 at sea.

Folios 11-14: John Johnson, prisoner; disease or hurt, scorbutus. Taken ill, 8 Oct 1830 at sea. Discharged cured 27 November 1830. Folios 14-15: Frederick Holbrook, aged 15, prisoner; disease or hurt, cachexia. Taken ill, 16 October 1830 at sea. Died 21 October 1830 at sea.

Folios 15-19: James Barnett, aged 40, prisoner; disease or hurt, scorbutus. Taken ill, 1 November 1830, at Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope. Discharged 20 December 1830 to the Colonial Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales.

Folios 20-21: James Antell, aged 30, ship’s steward; disease or hurt, scarlatina. Taken ill, 15 November 1830, at sea. Discharged 30 November 1830 to duty.

Folio 22: Mr Davison, aged 20, Third mate; disease or hurt, scarlatina. Taken ill, 24 November 1830, at sea. Discharged 4 December 1830 to duty.

Folio 23: Numerical summary of the medical cases mentioned in the journal. Folio 23: General remarks. There was scarcely one of the 192 prisoners that was not affected with some symptoms of scurvy. Remarks about the best methods of treating scurvy. Three prisoners died, one was maniacal, and the other two I am really at a loss to give a name to the disease. I called it cachexia for the want of a better term. It is true at the post mortem examination of one of them the liver was found enlarged and some water was found on the chest, but till a day or two previous to death he appears to have no well marked symptoms or disease. It is worthy of remark that salt provisions alone do not give scurvy. The Guard which consisted of 30 soldiers were as long on board as the prisoners and equally unaccustomed to sea life yet not one of them had a symptom of scurvy. Their provisions were of the same nature and quality as the prisoners. We must attribute the difference to greater exercise and occupation of mind. Every attention was paid to the cleanliness of the prisoners but still they were confined 13 hours of the 24 in the prison where in hot weather the thermometer ranged from 800 to 900. It was impossible under such circumstances to keep them as clean as one could wish. Many obstacles are thrown in the way of the surgeon when he attempts to give trouble or interfere with the comforts of those who ought to assist him, an idle report of mutiny was eagerly seized on to put the previous state under further restrictions which in the end turned out to have been entirely unnecessary. It is not to be concealed that these unfortunate men are considered little so much live lumber that are to be carried out with as much profit and as little inconvenience as possible were not the surgeon-superintendant a check against his authority however is ill-defined and has been lately cast into further shade by some orders issued from the Horse-Guard to the officers commanding detachments on board convict ships. I think the mortality in these ships would be little less than slave ships if the surgeon-superintendant had not the power of enforcing his authority. [Signed] William West M.D, Surgeon R.N.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Shipping

Slavery

Australia and Pacific

Disease

Navy

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Prisons