Remote & Rural Remedies

"Survey return from Dr. Roderick McLean"

South Uist, Lochmaddy.

1851.

RCP/COL/4/8/245

Roderick McLean (also written as MacLean) was a medical practitioner in South Uist.

South Uist was a parish in the historic County Inverness. It contained multiple lakes and islets, and the islands of Benbecula, Eriskay and Flodda. There was a continuous population increase in the parish. The main industry was agriculture and cattle-breeding.

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[[Addressee]]
Dr. Rodk. MacLean
South Uist
Lochmaddy

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

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

Ans. Four years

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

This parish extends to 37 miles in length and I being sole medical Practitioner frequently
visits from both extremities of the district-

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

Generally a Riding horse, though occasionally a light two wheeled vehicle

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

The roads in some parts of the parish are very indifferent, until a new road now in
process of making be openend¹ –

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

From my own experience for the last four years that I have been practising here and from the late arrangements accepted by the sole Heritor² of this parish I consider the position of a Medical Man here far from improving and to explain this; I may mention that when I undertook the medical practice of South Uist Colonel Gordon generously guarranteed³ my salary on behalf of his tenants, & for which I attended to their wants. The condition of the people having come to such indigence of late years, that the proprietor could not find it possible to exact rents far less his other land taxes including Doctors salary so that at last term day he withdrew this and now I cannot calculate from any in lieu of this save what the Parochial Board⁴ of this parish allows. I have not as yet desisted from making myself useful among them although without fee or rewards, and rather than attempt exacting fees by harsh measures from the poor people I have now resolved not to attend to their wants except in cases when a remuneration may be expected. I am sorry that I am under the necessity of such resolutions.

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?

From a great reduction in the population & from the Anticipated facility with which
a person may travel when the new roads are finished I consider that one active
Medical person along with an assistant might attend to the whole of the
Parish of South Uist -

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 Special hardship incident to my situation is the poverty of the people
and the many application for medical relief, which altho’ unremunerated
cannot in very extreme cases be refused & to remedy this I cannot suggest
any general measure unless by an Act of Parliament Surgeons Salary
may be made a Land Tax.

[[Additional text]]

Roderick McLean M.D.

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Explanatory notes:

1. Misspelling of “opened”.
2. A heritor was a landowner, under Scots Law, whose holdings were sizeable enough for them to be liable for the payment of public burdens such as Poor Law rates, road and bridge assessments and the church minister’s stipend.
3. Misspelling of “guaranteed”.
4. Following the Poor Law Amendment (Scotland) Act of 1845 parochial boards were set up in each parish to administer poor relief.