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"Survey return from Ewan MacKenzie"
Kirkhill, by Inverness.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/58
Ewan MacKenzie was a church minister to Kirkhill parish.
Kirkhill consisted of two united parishes, Wardlaw and Farnua, and lay in the historic County of Inverness. In 1831, the population was 1715 and the main industry was agriculture. The parish exported grain and timber, while importing coal and lime via a coastal harbour.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd
Ewan MacKenzie
Kirkhill
by Inverness
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Kirkhill?
This Parish which is about 8 miles in length, has its eastern boundary extending to within 2 ½ miles of Inverness and its western boundary to within 2 miles of the village of Beauly. There is no medical man resident within the bounds of the Parish but those of Inverness are in the habit of driving out to attend patients in this Parish, and Beauly1 has one medical man resident in it Mr Cormick surgeon, who has been appointed by Parl Board2, medical man for the poor in this Parish, and who also has a considerable amount of the general practice in this Parish
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
[no text]
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
I believe I may say that the number has increased in Inverness of late years, but this is not perhaps a relevant answer to the question. There has not – at any time – so far as known3 to me been a medical man resident in this Parish, and practising also within it.
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
[no text]4
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
I have never heard any complaints on this head.
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 know of none such.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
Notwithstanding the facility with which medical aid might be [perceived] by the people in this Parish, from qualified Practitioners, I understand they generally prefer putting themselves under the hands of two uneducated men in the Parish, who make free use of the lancet and profess skill in herbs
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?
[no text]
9. What Heritors5 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
J.B. Fraser Esqr of Reelig
J. P. Clark Esqr of Fingask
W. Falconer Esqr of Lentran
J. Fraser Esqr of Bunchrew
There are three other mansion houses in the Parish but they are let to parties from various quarters so that the Heritors do not reside even occasionally in them.
[[Additional Text]]
Kirkhill Manse
23rd Nov. 1850
Ewan MacKenzie
Explanatory notes:
1. From this point onwards the text continues into the box assigned to query 2.
2. Following the Poor Law Amendment (Scotland) Act of 1845 parochial boards were set up in each parish to administer poor relief.
3. From this point onwards the text continues into the box assigned to query 4.
4. Answer to query 3 takes up the space for query 4.
5. 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
