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"Survey return from James Morrison"
Alness.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/68
James Morrison was a church minister to Alness parish.
Alness was a parish in the historic County of Ross and Cromarty. Local employment was primarily in fishery and agriculture. Some silver and iron ore was obtained in the parish. The transportation routes through the parish improved significantly in the mid-19th century. At that time, the population was 1440.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd PP
James Morrison
Alness
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Alness?
There is no resident Medical Man in this Parish, but 2 live in the village of Invergordon distant 4 miles
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
Dr. Ross – surgeon
Dr. Kynoch.
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
[No text]
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reason?
No
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
Yes
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?
Yes one of protracted suffering that of a woman in confinement1
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
One of the Proprietors resident administers Medicine Occasionally
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 know of none Except a Resident Physician the nearest being at the distance of 4 Miles from here - of these there are 2 but they cannot always be got.
9. What Heritors2 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
There are 3 Heritors - Lieutenant General John Munro of Teaninich always resides [3 words illegible] (alluded to under query 7) 2. Hugh A. J. Munro of Novar resides for about 7 months, and the 3d. Matheson of Ardross, has his residence in the adjoining Parish, and there but seldom.
[[Additional Text]]
J. M. Minister of Alness
Explanatory notes:
1. This term can refer to a woman’s pregnancy or the period of childbirth or, more commonly, to the period of recovery post-birth.
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
