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"Survey return from Robert Clarke"
Kinlochbervie, Golspie.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/105
Robert Clarke was a church minister in Kinlochbervie.
The district of Kinlochbervie (also known as Keanlochbervie) was separated from the parish of Eddrachillis and became a parish quoad sacra. For further information on the area, see the entry for Edderachillis.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd
Robert Clarke
Kinlochbervie
Golspie
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Keanlochbervie?
None.1
There is a District Surgeon. The District consists of the parishes of Assynt, Edrachills & Keanlochbervie & the surgeon is bound to visit Keanlochbervie once a month, but the district is so extensive that this is more than he can perform.
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
The name & address of the above surgeon are John McLean Esqr M.D.
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
No
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
There was a change of medical men about two years ago. I have had no access to know the cause. So far as I knew, the district had no complaint against the surgeon.
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
Very often & very great, & it must be so, where the population is so great & the district is from 60 to 70, if not 80 miles long, besides at least, one arm of the sea.
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?
There have been various cases of this kind.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
Very little indeed.
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 am not aware of any, unless Governments were to give Aid for the purpose of increasing the number of medical men in poor & extensive localities, & both proprietors and people were obliged to pay according to their circumstances. The Noble Proprietor here pays £60 a year, besides grazing for a home & two cows.
9. What Heritors2 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
None.
[[Additional Text]]
Mr Clark is very sorry that he was prevented by indsposition3 from making a more early reply
Jany 7/51.
Explanatory notes:
1. The answer box has been divided in two by a vertical line by the respondent. Text to the right of vertical line has been transcribed below “None”.
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.
3. Misspelling of “indisposition”.
Remote & Rural Remedies
