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"Survey return from Robert Finlayson"
Lochs, Stornoway.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/154
Robert Finlayson was a church minister in Stornoway.
Lochs was a parish on the Isle of Lewis in the historic County of Ross and Cromarty. It contained multiple smaller islets, including the Shiant Isles. In 1831, the population was 3067. The main industry was agriculture and kelp manufacturing for export. There were some tradesmen active as boat-builders, weavers and tailors.
[[Addressee]]
The Revd
Robt Finlayson
Lochs
Stornoway
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Lochs?
There are no Medical Practitioners in the Parish & only two in the Island of Lews1 who but seldom
practice within the Parish - their access to many of the people is oft prevented by Arms of the sea, Morasses & want of Roads etc.
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
Roderick Miller Surgeon Stornoway
Charles MacRae M.D. Stornoway
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 reasons?
No - there were none to leave it.
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
There is much reason of complaint, but there is no Remedy within their reach.
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. And it is also likely that lives are lost for want of Medical Aid.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
Only to a very limited extent - such as blood letting2 &c
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 Resident Medical Practitioner, and a qualified Mid-Wife are the only means likely to relieve the evils of deficiency in the supply of Medical Aid
9. What Heritors3 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
None.
[[Additional Text]]
Robert Finlayson
Explanatory notes:
1. Misspelling of “Lewis”.
2. 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.
3. 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
