Medical journal of the Gilmore , convict ship, for 12 March to 30 September 1843...

ADM 101/29/10

1843

Medical journal of the Gilmore, convict ship, for 12 March to 30 September 1843 by James Syme, Surgeon Superintendent, during which time the said ship was employed in the transportation of male convicts to Van Diemen's Land.

Folios 1-3: Copy of daily sick list.

Folios 3-4: case no 1, Robert Sloughter, aged 19, Convict; taken ill at Downs; sick or hurt, phthisis pulmonalis followed by diarrhoea; put on sick list 15 April 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 4-5: case no 2, John Kellett, aged 37, Convict; taken ill at Downs; sick or hurt, bronchitis chronica, complained of cough, difficulty of breathing, weakness and loss of appetite; put on sick list 15 April 1843, died 25 April 1843 at 2 am., there was no autopsy.

Folios 6-7: case no 3, William Keyne, aged 19, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, phthisis pulmonalis, affected with cough and dyspnoea, headache and tympanitic distention of abdomen, thirst and bowels loose; put on sick list 1 May 1843, died 9 July 1843 at 4 am., there was no autopsy.

Folios 7-8: case no 4, Thomas Giddens, aged 22, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, empyema, soft diffused fluctuating tumour on right breast above the nipple; put on sick list 19 June 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 8-9: case no 5, Richard Saunders, aged 55, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, diarrhoea, accompanied with tenesmus, nausea and occasional vomiting of blood, the abdomen tender on pressure, there was a peculiar heavy smell from his body; put on sick list 28 June 1843, died 19 August 1843 at 4 am., there was no autopsy.

Folio 10: case no 6, Christopher McGrath, aged 19, Private 99th Regiment; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, phthisis incipiens; put on sick list 5 July 1843, sent 21 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 10-11: case no 7, Richard Thomson, aged 22, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, ophthalmia; put on sick list 26 July 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 11-12: case no 8, George Hibbert, aged 33, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatism followed by scurvy; put on sick list 2 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 12-13: case no 9, Timothy Wood, aged 20, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 13 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 13: case no 10, Alexander Carter, aged 34, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 13 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 14: case no 11, Edward Strain, aged 32, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 13 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 14-15: case no 12, William Larenson, aged 25, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 11 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 15: case no 13, John Mynns, aged 20, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 14 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 14-15: case no 14, Michael Brown, aged 28, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 15 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 16: case no 15, John Sallows, aged 37, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatism followed by scurvy; put on sick list 17 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 17: case no 16, Richard Smith, aged 54, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 17 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 17-18: case no 17, Thomas Best, aged 20, Private 99th Regiment; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, hepatitis &c., of a nervous temperament, was subject to epileptic fits, complained of severe pain in the right hypochondrium increased by pressure and on deep inspiration; put on sick list 8 August 1843, sent 21 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town, the surgeon noted that theis patient died on 24 August 1843 at the Military Hospital at Hobart Town, he was informed by Dr. Belcher that the right side of chest was filled with serum – that “no vestige of right lung could be found”.

Folio 19: case no 18, William Minion, aged 26, Corporal 99th Regiment; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, bubo; put on sick list 17 July 1843, sent 21 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 19: case no 19, William Spiller, aged 22, Private 99th Regiment; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, gunshot wound, by accidental explosion of a pistol when on sentry; put on sick list 14 August 1843, sent 21 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 19: case no 20, James Dogherty, aged 35, Private 99th Regiment; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, dyspepsia &c.; put on sick list 21 August 1843, sent 21 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 19: case no 21, Hector McCormick, aged 24, Private 99th Regiment; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, impetigo, effect with chronic eruption of an impetiginous character; put on sick list 21 August 1843, sent 21 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 22, Thomas Kerr, aged 22, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, scurvy; put on sick list 20 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 23, William Smith, aged 27, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatism &c. accompanied with diarrhoea and succeeded by scurvy; put on sick list 2 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 24, Thomas Taylor, aged 56, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, diarrhoea accompanied with scurvy; put on sick list 18 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 25, Henry Baston, aged 32, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatism, cutaneous eruption succeeded by scurvy; put on sick list 26 July 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 25, Henry Baston, aged 32, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, rheumatism, cutaneous eruption succeeded by scurvy; put on sick list 26 July 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 21: case no 26, John Woods, aged 35, Convict; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, cutaneous eruption, of a suspicious character, stated that he had venereal disease four years ago, he was also affect with chronic ophthalmia ; put on sick list 18 August 1843, sent 22 August 1843 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 22-24: Blank.

Folio 25: Nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal.

Folios 26-30: Surgeon's general remarks. The Gilmore sailed from Sheerness on the 14 April 1843 with 254 adult male convicts in a state of apparent health, from the hulks at Deptford, Woolwich and Chatham. The surgeon stated that the ship was surveyed before being hired but however during the voyage the ship leaked much, as a result the prisons and hospital were far from a suitable state of dryness. The surgeon made a complaint about Lieutenant Despard's officers of the Guard and of the Master of the ship, regarding their non co-operation with him in his efforts to kept the prison dry. The surgeon also mentioned that there was no benefit derived from Nitrate of Potash or Citric Acid in scurvy, the cases improved under the use of Disalphate of Quinine. The Lime Juice expended could not compare its effects with the other means of cure. In the Reading classes many convicts who when they embarked did not know the letters of the alphabet, before disembarkation could read with accuracy.

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