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"Survey return from James McNaughtan"
Dores, Inverness.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/56
James McNaughtan (also written as MacNaughtan) was a church minister to Dores parish.
Dores (also known as Durris) was a parish in the historic County of Inverness. It contained the village of Dores and bordered Loch Ness. In 1831, the population was 1738 and the parish's main industry was agriculture.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd
James MacNaughtan
Dores
Inverness
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Dores?
There are no Medical men resident within this parish. Medical aid can only be had from Inverness, which is within 3 miles of the East end of the Parish, but 18 or 20 from the West end.
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
Those who chiefly practise in the parish are Dr Manford who attends the pauper patients and Dr Walker, both residing in Inverness.
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
neither
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
[no text]
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
I hear little complaint. But even when there may be reason there is generally an indisposition to avail themselves of it until matters become really serious with them. This is partly on account of expense, but chiefly the result of prejudice.
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 have known some, & there is one in my immediate neighbourhood just now, but where such aid will not be accepted- The Infirmary1 is so near & access to it so easy, that such cases can readily be attended & if patients could only be prevailed on & accept it.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
If it be meant, such are giving advice without due qualification, there are plenty of these, but how far the deficiency is much by their efforts is very questionable. But if parties, who either keep by them common & simple medicines for ordinary cases, or are ready to send for Medical when really required- for both cases deficiency is considerably met- only from the difficulty [manuscript damaged]2 to take advantage of it.
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 first step in my humble opinion would be an endeavour to remove the prejudices which do generally prevail among the Highland poor against the Faculty- & their partiality for quackery in every shape, which I have often endeavoured to combat but I fear with little success.
9. What Heritors3 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
Mr Fraser Tytter of Balnain is the only Heritor who at all resides in the parish.
[[Additional Text]]
As4 the paper arrived when I happened to be5 from home, it was laid aside for the time overlooked, & has consequently been6 as hurriedly filled up.7
James McNaughtan
Minr of Dores
Explanatory notes:
1. The Royal Northern Infirmary, Inverness, opened in 1804.
2. Tear in page making word illegible.
3. 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.
4. Word “as” hidden by fold in binding.
5. Words “to be” hidden by fold in binding.
6. Word “been” hidden by fold in binding.
7. This note is written in the bottom left margin and partly hidden by the binding.
Remote & Rural Remedies
