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"Survey return from John Buchanan"
Kingarth, Rothesay.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/13
John Buchanan was a church minister to Kingarth parish.
Kingarth was a parish on the southern part of the Isle of Bute. In 1840 the population was 840 and the land was comprised of tillage, pasture and moorland. Much attention was focussed on rearing cattle and the parish adapted to improvements in agriculture as well as fishing.
[[Addressee]]
To the Revd
The Minister of the Parish
of Kingarth
Rothesay
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Kingarth?
There is no resident Medical Practitioner in this Parish; nor has there been in the memory of any of the Inhabitants. The Medical Men of Rothesay (8 miles distant from the centre of the Parish) attend the sick – And, in Cholera times, one from Millport (in the neighbouring Island of Cumbray1) is engaged by me to be in readiness for a call, as when the sea between is practicable, his visits may be more speedy.
2. The Names and Addresses of these
The names of the Rothesay Practitioners employed according to the choice of patients. are Dr. Gibson, Dr. McLachlan, Dr. Ford & Dr. McEwen: of Millpool, Mr. Stoddard.
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
[no text]2
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
None left.
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
No formal complaint. It would without doubt be desirable to have one of the Faculty among us; but I believe that it is considered that the practice in the district would be quite inadequate for remunerating a Qualified Practitioner – the population of the Parish being only about 1000, & much scattered. -3
6. Do you know of any cases of protracted suffering, or of injury by Accident, such as might have been alleviated had proper advice been at hand?
6th.4 I have not known of any such case during the 24 years of my incumbency: Horses are abundant; & the owners are obliging to sending express to Rothesay for aid when suddenly required.5
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
7th.6 The deficiency is not made up in any other way than by applying for the attendance of the above named gentlemen.
8. Does your experience enable you to suggest any measure – of general applicability – such as would be likely to relieve to some extent the evils (if they exist) of deficiency in the supply of Medical aid?
I am not able to suggest any measure that promises to remedy the evil of the want of a local Medical Adviser: The fewness of probable Cases, & the absence of Heritors, & the circumstances of the inhabitants, who are far from wealthy, rendering the residence of such I fear, [no relief].
9. What Heritors7 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
There is no Heritor resident in the Parish, even occasionally, except three proprietors of very small pieces of ground, & who do not rank above common Farmers. The Marquis of Bute is proprietor of nearly the whole of the Parish – he is at present only three years old – & his8 tutor at law Lord James Stuart has no property here – & resides on business, only a few weeks annually, at Mount Stuart House in the Parish.
[[Additional Text]]
Kingarth Manse9
July 14th 1851
John Buchanan Minister of Kingarth10
Explanatory notes:
1. This may be a misspelling of “Cumbrae” Island.
2. The text of query 2 is continued in all available space for query 3, for which there is no answer.
3. The text of query 5 continues into space available for query 6.
4. The “6th” indicates that it is query 6 that is being answered.
5. The text of query 6 continues into space available for query 7.
6. “7th” indicates that query 7 is being answered.
7. 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.
8. The text for query 9 continues to be written on the bottom of the page, outside the space available.
9. Written to the left of page.
10. Written to the right of page.
Remote & Rural Remedies
