Catalogue description Medical journal of the Tortoise , convict ship, from 21 August 1841 to 25 February 1842...

Medical journal of the Tortoise, convict ship, from 21 August 1841 to 25 February 1842 by Thomas Brownrigg, surgeon superintendent, during which time the ship was employed in conveying convicts to Hobart Town.

Folios 1-2: case no 1, John. McLaren, aged 21; sick or hurt, pneumonia; put on sick list 26 August 1841, sent 30 August 1841 to convict hospital ship at Portsmouth. Surgeon notes that the patient's appearance being decidedly phthisical, he did not feel justified in keeping the patient in the ship. He also stated that the Woolwich men [the convicts] were sent to the Isabella without any previous inspection by him otherwise he would have objected to this man at once from his unhealthy appearance.

Folio 2: case no 2, Thomas Bailey, aged 33; sick or hurt, pneumonia; put on sick list 28 August 1841, sent 30 August 1841 to convict hospital ship at Portsmouth.

Folio 2: case no 3, Robert Radbourne, aged 47; sick or hurt, ulcus (fistulous), says he never made his complaints known to the surgeon of the York C [Convict] Ship, abscess to be opened. Surgeon states this being a case which would have been rejected, if known; put on sick list 2 September 1841, discharged 3 September 1841 to York convict hulk at Portsmouth.

Folios 2-3: case no 4, James Radway, aged 32; sick or hurt, Pneumonia, great pain with lassitude and headache with rigors...as this man will require further active treatment and consequently become too debilitated for so long a voyage the surgeon decided to leave him behind; put on sick list 12 September 1841, discharged 14 September 1841 to Sterling Castle convict ship at Plymouth.

Folio 3: case no 5, William Coughlan, aged 22; sick or hurt, gastritis, vomiting food about a quarter of an hour after taking it, tenderness on pressing the epigastrium, pulse small and frequent; put on sick list 24 September 1841, discharged 2 October 1841 cured.

Folios 3-4: case no 6, Henry Parker, aged 18; sick or hurt, pneumonia, spare, delicate looking, complained of pain in the chest and cough increased on a full inspiration, pulse small and quick; put on sick list 1 October 1841, discharged 1 December 1841 cured.

Folio 4: case no 7, Jno. Brooks, aged 43; sick or hurt, scorbutus and diarrhoea, with spongy gums, ecchymosis on the legs and diarrhoea; put on sick list 12 October 1841, discharged 12 September 1841 to Sterling Castle convict ship at Plymouth.

Folios 4-5: case no 8, Timothy Shehan, aged 51; sick or hurt, pneumonia (bronchitis), complained of cough with copious expectoration of mucus; put on sick list 25 October 1841, discharged 10 December 1841 cured.

Folios 5-6: case no 9, Henry Ifield, aged 31; sick or hurt, mania, attacked with violent fit of mania, says he had a similar attack about 4 years ago and was sent to an Asylum - has 2 near relatives now in confinement with mania; put on sick list 19 November 1841, discharged 20 February 1842 at Hobart Town.

Folios 6-7: case no 10, [Thomas?] White, aged 33; sick or hurt, scorbutus, a thin, sallow, sickly looking deserter, had purpura on both legs and two scorbutic blotches or ecchumosis, gums spongy and bleed on rubbing them; put on sick list 19 November 1841, discharged 30 January 1842 at Hobart Town, he was put on salt meat at his own request after leaving the Cape, but his legs and gums becoming again affected, he was put on preserved meat with double allowance of lime juice (2 oz) and landed at Hobart Town on 20 February 1842.

Folios 7-8: case no 11, John Bebb, aged 50; sick or hurt, diarrhoea, an emaciated and worn out, was ill with cough, but complained chiefly from diarrhoea; put on sick list 23 November 1841, discharged 13 January 1842 cured.

Folios 8-10: case no 12, John. Barber, aged 37; sick or hurt, dysentery, a spare weakly man complained of irregular bowels with tormina and pyrexia, was much purged, faint and weak with much thirst and hot skin; put on sick list 8 December 1841, died 19 December 1841 at 6 am.

Folios 10-12: case no 13, Thomas Cox, aged 30; sick or hurt, diarrhoea; put on sick list 30 December 1841, discharged 20 February 1842 at Hobart Town.

Folios 12-13: case no 14, John Reid, aged 20; sick or hurt, dysentery, frequent scanty purging with tormina and tenesmus; put on sick list 1 January 1842, died 5 January 1842 at 2 pm.

Folios 13-15: case no 15, Thomas Finch, aged 28; sick or hurt, phthisis, a thin unhealthy man taken ill with spasm in the abdomen - had opium which relieved him at the time; put on sick list 4 January 1842, died 15 February 1842 at 8 pm.

Folios 15-16: case no 16, Henry Parker, aged 18; sick or hurt, palpitatio, was seized suddenly while on deck with faintness and vertigo and was for sometime insensible - had cathartic pills without effect; put on sick list 6 January 1842, discharged 24 January 1842 from the list.

Folio 16: case no 17, John Joynson, aged 30; sick or hurt, rheumatism and pneumonia, rheumatism on the left knee; put on sick list 4 February 1842, discharged 20 February 1842 at Hobart Town, rather weak but improving daily.

Folios 16-18: case no 18, John. Hewlett, aged 20; sick or hurt, dysentery, frequent scanty stools of mucous and blood with tormina and tenesmus no pain on pressure and no fever; put on sick list 4 February 1842, discharged 20 February 1842 at Hobart Town, convalescent.

Folios 19-22: Blank.

Folio 23: nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal.

Folios 24-25: Surgeon's general remarks, regarding the defective air pumps, which the surgeon anticipated that their action would be too much confined to the space immediately near them. His opinion that a simple and effectual plan of ventilating the prison deck, might be adapted on the principle of the common forcing pump used for water, and by means of sufficiently long and air tight hoses, a strong current of fresh air might be sent under the sleeping berths and into all the remote corners of the deck.