Catalogue description Medical journal of the Countess of Harcourt , convict ship, from 21 December 1826 to 11...

Medical journal of the Countess of Harcourt, convict ship, from 21 December 1826 to 11 July 1827 by Michael Goodsir, surgeon and superintendent, during which time the ship was employed in taking convicts from Kingston harbour Dunlary to New South Wales.

Folios 1-4: David Guerin, aged 22, private 39th regt, taken ill at Spithead; sick or hurt, severe griping and purging for several days past tongue foul and bad taste in his mouth general weakness and loss of appetite; put on sick list 18 January 1827, sent 4 February 1827 to military hospital at Dublin.

Folio 5: Thomas Carron, aged 27, private 39th regt., taken ill at Dunlary; sick or hurt, severe griping pains attended with constant inclination to go to stool loss of appetite and general weakness; put on sick list 24 January 1827, discharged 30 January 1827 to duty.

Folio 6: John Hodgekinson, aged 28, private 39th regt., taken ill at Dunlary; sick or hurt, attacked with cold shivering accompanied with severe headach; put on sick list 24 January 1827, discharged 28 January 1827 to duty.

Folios 7-10: William Bell, aged 22, convict, taken ill at Dunlary; sick or hurt, cough which prevents his sleeping in the night slight pain of right side loss of appetite and great weakness; put on sick list 14 February 1827, died 26 March 1827 at 11 o'clock.

Folios 10-11: Peter Mitchell, aged 27, private 39th regt., taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, violent pain of the left side with great difficulty of breathing, face flushed skin hot; put on sick list 3 March 1827, discharged 15 March 1827 to duty.

Folios 11-12: John Hanlan, aged 19, convict, taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, severe griping and purging accompanied with loss of appetite great debility and sickness at stomach; put on sick list 7 March 1827, discharged 26 March 1827 cured.

Folio 13: Dennis Kelliher, aged 23, private 39th regt., taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, restlessness at night itching all over his body loss of appetite great depression of spirits eyes and surface of the body looks yellower than usual; put on sick list 25 March 1827, discharged 9 April 1827 to duty.

Folio 14: Thomas Larkin, aged 18, convict, taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, has several hard movable tumours on the left side of the neck, painful, soft and to the feel evident fluctuation of matter; put on sick list 28 March 1827, discharged 18 April 1827.

Folios 15-20: Bryan Freeman, private 39th regt., taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, attacked with acute pain of right side increased on attempting to move or drawn a full inspiration, pain fixed a little about 6th rib, short dry cough; put on sick list 5 May 1827, sent 27 June 1827 to military hospital at Sydney.

Folios 21-27: James Enniss, aged 28, convict, taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, constant griping and purging attended with nausea, foul tongue, fetid breath, gums tender and spongy and bleed frequently, appetite very much impaired has been frequently attacked with diarrhoea; put on sick list 19 May 1827, died 27 June 1827 at 3 o'clock.

Folio 28: blank.

Folio 29: numerical abstract of cases mentioned in the journal, nosologically arranged, and surgeon’s general remarks regarding two men that died on the voyage that were much diseased when they embarked, which the surgeon objected taking [them] the day before sailing but Dr. Trevor the inspector was of opinion [that] the voyage would do them good.