Remote & Rural Remedies

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"Survey return from John MacKenzie"

Lochcarron.

1850.

RCP/COL/4/8/125

John MacKenzie was a church minister in Lochcarron.

Lochcarron was a parish in the historic County of Ross and Cromarty and included Jeantown. The population in the mid-19th century was approximately 2400. The main industry was agriculture and tree plantations. The roads connecting the parish were considered very good.

[[Addressee]]
The Revd
John MacKenzie
Lochcarron

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Lochcarron ?

None residing

2. The Names and Addresses of these.

Donald Kennedy Surgeon R N. residing at Plockton Lochalsh Parish & Dr Ross from Dingwall

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

Diminished

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

one James Dickson Surgeon RN. on the expiry of his lease which he did not get renewed -

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?

some deaths of Women in childbed – and an aged man from retention of urine-

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

I cannot exactly specify, there is a man who bleeds¹ & a few give simple medicines

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?

A fixed Salary as most of the people are Poor -

9. What Heritors² are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?

None –

[[Additional Text]]

John MacKenzie Minr

Explanatory notes:

1. 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.
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.

"Survey return from John MacKenzie"

Lochcarron.

1850.

John MacKenzie was a church minister in Lochcarron.

Lochcarron was a parish in the historic County of Ross and Cromarty and included Jeantown. The population in the mid-19th century was approximately 2400. The main industry was agriculture and tree plantations. The roads connecting the parish were considered very good.