Medical journal of the Minerva, convict ship from 21 July to 16 December 1821 by...

ADM 101/54/4

1821

Medical journal of the Minerva, convict ship from 21 July to 16 December 1821 by Charles Queade, Surgeon and Superintendent, during which time the said ship was employed in a voyage to New South Wales. [This journal, consisting of 18 folios, is mainly in the form of weekly diary entries which details the effects of weather conditions on the health of those on board. Only salient entries from the journal have been recorded below]. Folio 2: It would appear from the journal of the voyage kept by Mr Charles Queade that the convicts commenced embarking at the Little Nore on the 21 July 1821 and they were all landed with the exception of three who died on their passage at Sydney Cove 16 December 1821. Folios 2-3: a soldier's wife, aged 21, sick or hurt; complained of sea sickness and also of excruciating pain in her left arm situated particularly in the tentenous [tendinous] expansion of deltoid muscle with inability of moving, I must observe she was badly clothed, a state of irritation was kept up in the system by want of clean clothing and personal cleanliness, taken ill on 8 August 1821, discharged 11 September 1821 recovered. Folios 3-4: James Green, aged 27, convict, sick or hurt; found him convulsed on visiting him the pupil of eyes much dilated, vision imperfect and partly deranged, complained much of a pain across the forehead the pulse regular skin cool tongue clean and bowels not confined, taken ill on 12 August 1821, discharged 16 September 1821 quite well. Folio 4: note, I was led to the above treatment of this case by an alternative course of mercury from reading the valuable treaties of Doctor Burrows on melancholia he says the hepatic organ ought to be well attended to and in this case it will be seen that until the alimentary canal was thoroughly emptied and the wanted stimulating secretion restored to the […] the mental derangement did not yield. The physical phenomena in insanely says “Doctor B., indicate generally a marked derangement of vascular and nervous system”. Folios 5-6: Quigly, aged 23, soldier, sick or hurt; complained three weeks ago of alimentary derangement which was removed by saline and [diaslick?] aperants and low diet, [now] complaining of urgent thirst lassitude and pain in his head, taken ill on 12 August 1821, died 31 August 1821 at 4 o'clock. Folio 7: note, the last weeks list has increased considerably owing to increase of temperature in the atmosphere conjoined with stimulating food, the complaints were marked by great topical termination with deranged alimentary functions, [surgical?] and repeated venesections with powerful [diastic?] aperants and low diet put an effectual stop to those threatening symptoms. Folio 8: 23 September 1821. The sick list has decreased. Folio 9: week beginning 7 October 1821. Change in weather has led to an increase of rheumatic affections and pneumonia. Many cases of sea scurvy have occurred. Folio 9: week beginning 14 October 1821. Change in weather has led to variety of diseases but has rendered the spirit of rheumatic patients worse. Folios 19-32: Blank. Folio 33: Blank nosological form. Folio 34: Blank.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Shipping

Canals and river transport

Clothing

Treaties and alliances

Australia and Pacific

Disease

Food and drink

Navy

Diaries

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)