Remote & Rural Remedies

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"Survey return from Rob. W. Black"

Tongue, under Golspie.

1851.

RCP/COL/4/8/231

Rob. W. Black was a medical practitioner in Tongue.

Tongue (also known as Tung) was a parish in the historic County of Sutherland and contained the villages of Skianid, Torrisdale and Kirkibol. In 1838, the population was 2080. The primary industry was agriculture and tree plantations. There was also some fishery in the parish.

[[Addressee]]
Rob. W. Black. Esq.
Surgeon,
Tongue
under Golspie

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

1. How long have you practiced in the locality you at present occupy?

Upwards of seven years

2. What are the ordinary and what the greatest distances which you have to travel in visiting patients?

My residence is in the centre of the district, and I
have the exclusive practice for thirty miles on each side -

3. What means of conveyance do you employ in going long journeys?

I keep a horse & Gig¹. and
ride & drive as occasion suits -

4. What is the state of the roads in your neighbourhood?

Generally good. but intersected
by numerous ferries.

5. Is the position of medical men in general in your quarter improved, or otherwise, of late years?

Little or no alteration has taken place in the position of
medical men in Sutherlandshire, since their first settle-
ments.

6. Supposing the people of the Highlands and Islands were generally able to pay for medical
advice, according to rates usually observed in other parts of the kingdom, what extent of
country in your locality would you regard as sufficient to occupy a single practitioner
fully?

I now practise over three Parishes, and/or
upon supposition/from the amount of population, I would
consider the Parish of my residence & the more immediately
adjoining one, quite sufficient to occupy the whole of my time.

7. Mention, if you please, any special hardships incident to your situation, such as you think
might be remedied by some general measure or enactment?

Practitioners in such
remote districts have of course many grievous hardships to
complain of, but I am not prepared to state any which
could be remedied by any “general measure or enactment”.

[[Additional text]]

R.W. Black
Tongue
27th August 1851

Explanatory notes:

1. A gig is a light two-wheeled carriage pulled by one horse.

"Survey return from Rob. W. Black"

Tongue, under Golspie.

1851.

Rob. W. Black was a medical practitioner in Tongue.

Tongue (also known as Tung) was a parish in the historic County of Sutherland and contained the villages of Skianid, Torrisdale and Kirkibol. In 1838, the population was 2080. The primary industry was agriculture and tree plantations. There was also some fishery in the parish.

1. A gig is a light two-wheeled carriage pulled by one horse.