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"Survey return from Donald Sage"
Resolis, by Poyntzfield.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/65
Donald Sage was a church minister to Resolis parish.
Resolis was another name for the parish of Kirkmichael. For further information, see the entry for Kirkmichael.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd P.P.
Donald Sage
Resolis
by Poyntzfield
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Resolis?
Two only, so far as I know, - Dr Ross of Invergordon who for these two years back has been appointed medical adviser for the poor by the board1. One Dr Smith residing at Cromarty also comes occasionally, that is to those who send for him & promise to pay him.
Dr McDonald also resides at Cromarty but from advanced years does not practice.
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
Dr Ross Invergordon (port Town)
Dr Smith Cromarty (port Town)2
Dr Macdonald Cromarty3 (port Town)4
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
I am of opinion that in the parish of Resolis as well as in the whole district called the Black Isle & in which Resolis is situated the number of Medical Men have rather diminished than increased
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
No medical man during the whole of my connection with it ever resided in the parish. Those who practise in it now are formerly men from the neighbouring parishes of Rosskeen, & Cromarty and Fortrose
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
I do not hear any complaints made on that score, whatever reason there may be for them. The great body of the people entertain prejudices common to all Highlander, against medical men they prefer the advice of Quacks to that of the first medical man in Europe
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 one which has occurred very lately. It was that of a young man taken suddenly ill of some inward complaint His mother applied to an ignorant fellow in the neighbourhood who came & bled5 him profusely in consequence of which his complaint assumed a new and more formidal6 aspect & under which he succumbe7 at last. Dr Ross was called to visit [manuscript damaged]8 him & said that had he been there he should not have bled him at all.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
To no extent whatever, that I am aware of. The thing has never been attempted by any party whatever.
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?
As I have no experience in such matters, I am therefore utterly unable to suggest any measure whatever such as would be likely to supply such deficiency
9. What Heritors9 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
John Andrew S McKenzie Esqr of Newhall – resident generally in the Parish
Sir George Munro of Poyntzfield resident generally in the Parish10
Sir Hugh Fraser of Braelangwell resident generally in the Parish11
C. L. Mackinzie of Dunicudden resident occasionally
Dr Mackinzie of Culbo entirely nonresident, lives in London.
[[Additional Text]]
Dond Sage Minr.
Explanatory notes:
1. Following the Poor Law Amendment (Scotland) Act of 1845 parochial boards were set up in each parish to administer poor relief.
2. Represented by ‘do’ (ditto) in the manuscript.
3. Represented by ‘do’ (ditto) in the manuscript.
4. Represented by ‘do’ (ditto) in the manuscript.
5. Bleeding, or bloodletting, is the withdrawal of blood from a patient to prevent or cure illness and disease. This was a common medical practice in the 1800s, dating back to antiquity, and was often carried out by unlicensed healers as well as qualified physicians.
6. Misspelling of “formidable”.
7. Misspelling of “succumb”.
8. Tear in the manuscript.
9. 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.
10. “resident generally in the Parish” represented by three ‘do’ (ditto) in the manuscript.
11. “resident generally in the Parish” represented by three ‘do’ (ditto) in the manuscript.
Remote & Rural Remedies
