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"Survey return from James Pearson"
Kilarrow, by Bowmore.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/25
James Pearson was a church minister to Kilarrow parish.
Kilarrow (also known as Killarrow) along with Kilmeny were united parishes on the island of Islay. The combined population in 1841 was 4027. The main industry was agriculture and there was a local Agriculture Society. There were also multiple distilleries in the parish.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd
James Pearson
Kilarrow
by Bowmore
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Kilarrow & Kilmenny?
None reside in Kilmeny1
Two -
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
Dr Mc Tavish, Spring Bank, Bowmore
Dr Currie, Bowmore
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
Dr Mc Tavish has had assistants, but this is the number that has been kept up
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
Some have been in Bowmore, & left but I know not for what reasons
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
Really cannot speak from my own knowledge on this subject. I believe that generally speaking the supply is tolerably adequate to the application, but poverty on the one hand & what they consider high charges for visits, prevent applications.
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?
I cannot at this moment charge my memory with any such cases, though I have no doubt of there being such under the circumstances above mentioned, perhaps many
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
I believe a good deal has been done by some of the Ministers. Mr Cameron of Kilchoman & Mr McKenzie Port Ellen have been [3 words illegible] of doing a good deal - & never venture beyond the simplest cases
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?
The present state of the Island is such as to make it very difficult for a person to say any thing. Undoubtedly the application for medical advice would be more frequent could the charges on the poorer classes be [abated] But the state of things at present is frustrating to all-
9. What Heritors2 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
None at all at present.
Explanatory notes:
1. ‘None reside in the Kilmeny’ is written in the question box, after the name of the parish.
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.
Remote & Rural Remedies
