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"Survey return from John Keillor"
North Ronaldshay, Orkney.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/179
John Keillor was a church minister in North Ronaldsay.
North Ronaldshay (also known as North Ronaldsay) is an island and was a quoad sacra parish within the Cross and Burness parish on the Orkney Islands. In 1831, the population was 522. The main industry was agriculture.
[[Addressee]]
The Rev.
John Keillor
North Ronaldshay
Kirkwall
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of North Ronaldshay?
Dr Wood from the adjoining island of Sanday occasionally practises here.
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
[no text]
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 medical person has ever resided in it.
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
There exists complaint – When the case is critical & the Doctor must be sent for – They have to cross the boisterous firth separating this from Sanday in a small open boat – At certain seasons a fortnight or three weeks1 may elapse before the attempt can be made with safety - In some instances death has ensued before2 his arrival. In many cases he has repeatedly complained – his advice has only been3 sought4 at the eleventh hour. when his services were unavailing – The fee is generally Two Guineas & this is a sum few of the islanders can save from their earnings during a number of years Hence their unwillingness to seek medical aid [1 word illegible]5 they can do no better.
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?
6. From the answer to the 5th Query – it may be supposed – there must be a number of protracted6 cases of suffering – which might be alleviated by medical advice – Such has repeatedly come under my observation during the four years of my Incumbency – At present7 there is a case of a young man who, by a fall from a cart nearly 18 months ago, got his hip-joint dislocated – From the want of medical advice & delay in going where it might have been obtained he is from all appearances to be disabled for life.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
7. By the Free church clergy man & myself administering medicines to the sick of our respective congregations8 – Typhus fever has been lurking in the island for two years – The Doctor was sent for in one case after the other clergyman had failed to afford relief. But being too late in being sent for the case proved fatal. In attending a family lately I caught the fever in its milder form – I was scarcely recovered when I was obliged to attend another family where it exhibited itself in its malignant form The mid-woman9 was sent for, to take away the putrid matter – This case is now hopeful.
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?
8.10 I have very great doubts if any thing could be done by the islanders to remedy the present state of matters – Shortly after I came to this charges I proposed to have a general subscription to secure during the summer season a fortnightly visit of the surgeon & during winter once a month & offered to give the medical man bed & board during the time he might be detained – But nothing came of it – One half of the population are committed to schemes which absorb all they can spare from their poverty – Two years ago a fever was raging in the island – Scarcely a single family escaped – In the emergency I went across to secure the Doctor – His time was occupied night & day – and at last I had to pay his charge out of the congregational collections. The population of the island is about 560 & its length 3½ miles & only a mile in breadth – Much of that is is11 waste & unfit for cultivation – The rental I believe is a bout £570 –These facts will shew that the islanders can never be expected to do much to alleviate their situation as to the supply of medical aid.
9. What Heritors are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
9.12 The island is the property of Mr Traill of Woodwick – He never resides in it.
[[Additional Text]]
J.K.
Explanatory notes:
1. The ascender of the “k” and final “s” have parts missing from having been written over the edge of the page.
2. The curve of the page obscures the first part of the word.
3. Continues into query box 6.
4.The curve of the page obscures the first part of the word.
5. The ink has smudged, making this word illegible.
6. Continues into query box 7.
7. The “n” and the “t” are presumably missing from having been written over the edge of the page.
8. Continues into query box 8.
9. Mid-woman was a historical term for midwife.
10. Written in query box 9.
11. From the word “is” the text continues onto the addressee page.
12. Written on addressee page.
Remote & Rural Remedies
