Remote & Rural Remedies

Click on a page for the full-size image:
- Page1
- Page2
Click on a page for the full-size image:
- Page1
- Page2
"Survey return from Dr. MacDonald"

Isleornsay, Skye.

1851.

RCP/COL/4/8/237

Dr. MacDonald was a medical practitioner in Isleornsay.

Isleornsay was a place within the parish of Sleat in the historic County of Inverness. For further information on the whole parish, see the entry for Sleat.

[[Addressee]]
Dr MacDonald
Isleornsay
Skye.

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

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

7 Years

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

Ordinary distance about 12 Miles and the
Greatest about 40 Miles

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

Riding Walking & Boating

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

The Parliamentary roads are generally good but the country is
intersected with district roads which are very indifferent

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

Owing to the failure in the potato crop and consequent
destitution together with the low price of Cattle their
Position for several years back has been very much impaired
indeed it is in vain to expect any remuneration for medical
attendance from the great body of the People

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 consider two Parishes sufficient so
as to insure Proper attention

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 greatest hardship is the poverty of the people
and the fatigue that has very often to be encountered
in providing them with the requisite medical
attendance for which any remuneration Can very
seldom¹ be expected besides being frequently
obliged to supply medicine gratuitously and the
obvious remedy should be such as would
enable a medical man to procure the requisite
medicines for the sick poor who are not
entitled to such relief under the poor law Act
And such remuneration as would enable him
to pay proper attention to such Cases

Explanatory notes:

1. A side-line, drawing attention to the passage, has been put on the left hand side of the page from this point, down to the line ending with ‘requisite’.

"Survey return from Dr. MacDonald"

Isleornsay, Skye.

1851.

Dr. MacDonald was a medical practitioner in Isleornsay.

Isleornsay was a place within the parish of Sleat in the historic County of Inverness. For further information on the whole parish, see the entry for Sleat.

1. A side-line, drawing attention to the passage, has been put on the left hand side of the page from this point, down to the line ending with ‘requisite’.