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"Survey return from John Morgan"
Lerwick.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/193
John Morgan was a church minister in Lerwick.
Lerwick was a parish and a post town on the Shetland Islands. It has a harbour in Bressay Sound. The population in 1837 was 3564. The parish had a freestone quarry. The biggest industry was fishing.
[[Addressee]]
The Rev. p.p.
John Morgan
Lerwick
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Lerwick?
Two – but it ought to be noted that these are the only two resident on the mainland. the extreme length of which from north to south may be estimated at 60 miles. It comprehends eight parishes and contains a population of probably not less than twenty five thousand
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
1 John Cawie Surgeon – Lerwick
2 Mr John McKinnon Student & Practitioner
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
diminished. There were till of late years three regular Practitioners in this Town – besides visitors and students
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
Two have died in the Town within the last four years – one of them recently – a half-pay Surgeon1 in the country - who had an extensive practice.
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
Some time ago – until the Student above named settled here – such complaints were loud and numerous and I believe they still prevail not without cause to a considerable extent.
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?
I am not prepared to specify any such cases in this immediate locality. Many such there have doubtless been in the Islands2 accidents occur every day for which no medical relief can be obtained and I believe that much suffering would often be alleviated were proper advice more easily attainable.
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
There are several empirics3 in the country who have extensive practice but it may be questioned whether to any extent they make up the deficiency of qualified Practioners.4
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?
The deficiency in the supply of medical aid is attributable partly to the poverty of the inhabitants in general and partly to the want of enlightenment or liberality in the case of some who might be expected to take a more active interest in the good of the community Till these causes are remedied I see no practicable method &ca & ca .5
9. What Heritors6 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
The principal Heritors of the Parish are non-resident such as Lord Zetland, John Bruce of Sumburgh, Sir Arthur Nicolson & the two latter occasionally reside in it There are about a hundred other Heritors and Feuars in the Town and Parish - Most of whom reside in Lerwick – the chief of whom are Sheriff Bell – Mr Joseph Leask of Sound – Mr James Greig of Westhall – Mr William Hay of Hayfield &ca .
[[Additional Text]]
John Morgan
Explanatory notes:
1. Half-pay was a term used in the British Army and Royal Navy to refer to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service.
2. Damage to the manuscript slightly obscuring the ‘s’.
3. The term empiric was frequently used as a derogatory term, and that is how it appears to be used here. While it referred to those who relied on practical experience over theoretical teaching, commonly the term was used with similar intent to terms such as charlatan, street hawker and quack, i.e. to identify those unqualified and ineffective in the practice of medicine.
4. Misspelling of “practitioners”.
5. “&ca” is shorthand for etcetera.
6. 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
