Remote & Rural Remedies

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"Survey return from R. R. MKay"

Bruan, Lybster.

1850.

RCP/COL/4/8/114

R. R. Mkay (also written as McKay and MacKay) was a church minister in Bruan.

Bruan was a part of the parish of Latheron in the historic County of Caithness. For information of the area, see the entry for Latheron.

[[Addressee]]
The Revd
R. R. MacKay
Bruan
Lybster

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of [no text] ?

Two occasionally -

2. The Names and Addresses of these.

Dr. Sinclair
Dr. Smellie
residing both in Wick

3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?

not increased

4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?

Two have left not I suppose for want of employment, but for want of good payment.

5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?

Yes very much

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 must be many cases of this kind when the poor people have to go, perhaps during night, the distance of between 9 & 12 miles to apply for medical aid, & not find it, sometimes the medical man being not at home.

7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?

There is one man who gives a little and in slight cases, but for want of proper skill and medicine this sometimes may be for more harm than good.

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?

There is certainly a field for the labours of a medical man the population being about 1800- but the place could not support one owing to their poverty, being poor fishermen, and none [1 word illegible] away.

9. What Heritors¹ are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?

None resident just now but the district is occasionally visited by two viz Robt. James Esqr of Thrumster by Wick, and Sir George Sinclair heir W. J.G. Sinclair Thurso Castle.

[[Additional Text]]

The people of the rural districts are found to be much more anxious to apply for medical aid now than they were some years back, and a medical man who had some fixed allowance as a salary, & therefore could make his fees moderate might find such a district as Bruan a good field.
R.R. MKay Free Church by Wick Minr Bruan

Explanatory notes:

1. 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.

"Survey return from R. R. MKay"

Bruan, Lybster.

1850.

R. R. Mkay (also written as McKay and MacKay) was a church minister in Bruan.

Bruan was a part of the parish of Latheron in the historic County of Caithness. For information of the area, see the entry for Latheron.

1. 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.