Catalogue description Folio 19: case no 15, Mary Tracey, aged 30, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or...

Folio 19: case no 15, Mary Tracey, aged 30, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, hematuria (scorbutus), under went an attack of dysentery some weeks back, and had imperfect convalescent and of late has marked of a scorbutic taint of system in bloody stools and urine; put on sick list 8 May 1850, sent 10 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 19: case no 16, Mary Brown (B), aged 30, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, debility (scorbutus), was subject to dysentery in a very severe shape during March & April from which her recovery was partial and now she has manisfested traits of scorbutic tendency in gums, skin and general debility; put on sick list 9 May 1850, sent 10 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 17, Anne McKay, aged 18, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, debility (scorbutus), suffered under an obstinate attacked of dysentery from which she never regained her strength and now affected with ulcerated fauces, spongy gums, pains of limbs and much prostration; put on sick list 9 May 1850, sent 10 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 20: case no 18, Mary Regan, aged 20, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, debility (amentia), she was appear under much mental disquietude and more or less despondent, she made an attempted to strangle herself, she was wild & hysterical when brought into the hospital. After for some days she was remarkably quite and cheerful and managed to elude the attention of the nurses and made another attempt at suicide by strangulation in the water closet but was fortunately rescued in time; put on sick list 9 May 1850, sent 10 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 21: case no 19, Mary Lynch, aged 28, convict; taken ill off Hobart Town; sick or hurt, dysenteria; put on sick list 26 April 1850, sent 16 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 21: case no 20, Jane Williams, aged 20, convict; taken ill off Hobart Town; sick or hurt, diarrhoea, affected with very relaxed state of bowels to which she was subject for several weeks past, dejections mostly mucous or gelatinous; put on sick list 4 May 1850, sent 16 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 22: case no 21, Mary Quill, aged 34, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, chronic rheumatismus, pains of knee and legs which gradually increased in severity accompanied with tumefaction of the joints but no fever; put on sick list 9 May 1850, sent 16 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 23: case no 22, Brid. McBrian, aged 32, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, dysenteria, suffered under a very aggravated type of the disease; put on sick list 12 May 1850, sent 16 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 23: case no 23, Ellen Regan, aged 20, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, ulcus (scorb), superficial ulcerations on both legs, which much tumefied and she experienced deep seated pain along the whole course of the limbs, gums spongy, discoloured macule on various parts of body; put on sick list 13 May 1850, sent 16 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folios 23-24: case no 24, Mary Brown (A), aged 20, convict; taken ill at Hobart Town; sick or hurt, rheumatism, affected with singularly acute pain of back particularly on the spine of three inferior lumbar vertebra; put on sick list 13 May 1850, sent 16 May 1850 to Hospital at Hobart Town.

Folio 24: nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal.

Folios 25-28: Surgeon's general remarks. 240 female convicts with 81 children were embarked at Kingstown from the Grange Gorman Penitentiary, Dublin for the passage to Van Diemen's Land, also 3 male, 7 female free settlers, a Matron and assistant, total 333. The prisoners were almost 6 months at sea 20 of them were 1 to 2 years convicted. They were all in a fair average state of health on embarkation, however the majority of the children who in most instances were consigned direct from the Union Houses were embarked in an extremely emaciated condition, one of them (Clerken) who sunk under seasickness soon after the ship left the port, but most of them speedily became robust under such improved conditions of diet &c. The prevailing complaints were catarrh, dysentery, fever and inflammatory diseases. However after the ship passed the Cape, the catarrh and dysentery presented themselves amongst the convicts and prevailed almost exclusively during the rest of the passage, of which 49 cases of dysentery occurred, the cause of which was probably attributed to the mixed agency of atmospheric and dietary influences. According to the surgeon the onset of the disease was marked by various modification, in which some commencing with fever in other of grave character, with some the bowels were obstinately constipated, while the other and in majority an opposite relaxed state obtained. In the cause of the disease a remarkable [metastasis?] of alternated irritation between the lower bowels and stomach was frequently observed. The treatment was mercury and opium in the early stages the combination and quantity of which depended on individual circumstances. Bleeding was also performed in several cases marked by robust plethoric habit and in the cases where the disease had merged into visceral complications, but however it fell to subdue the disease and at the same time aggravated the debilitated state of the patient. The surgeon also gave a testimony to the Chloride of Zinc in maintaining its distinguished regulation; he mentioned that on the 2 February, the main hold became intolerably foetid from decayed potatoes which were removed and after free application of the Chloride of Zinc all trace of effluvium was removed within two hours.

Folio 29: Included in the general remarks is a list of South African indigenous plants, with generic and native names and also their medicinal properties.