Remote & Rural Remedies

"Survey return from John Mackenzie"

Eileanach, Poolewe, Rossshire.

1851.

RCP/COL/4/8/235

John Mackenzie was a medical practitioner in Eileananch.

At present no additional information about this location is available.

---

[[Addressee]]
John Mackenzie, Esq.
Surgeon
Eileanach
Poolewe
Rossshire

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

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

I only practise on friends, or poor persons, gratis

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

Mr Robertson Surgeon Achtercairn by Poolewe, practises in this district
& has often to ride or walk from ten to forty miles to see patients.

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

He employs a pony

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

Good, but many persons live in quarters where roads are merely
forming now.

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

Improved I should think
Mr Robertson is surgeon to the Poorlaw Board of Gairloch
& I think gets about £70 a year from its fines.

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?

The parish of Gairloch alone.

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?

The only improvement I know of would be govt or landlords
insisting on the Tenantry bettering their condition by cultivating
their land according to the rules of modern agriculture.
Also the roads being all finished as projected

[[Additional text]]

J.Mackenzie
md
(Eileanad
Inverness)
but I refer to the Parish of Gainloch, West Coast of Rossshire
in the above replies.