Catalogue description Diary of the convict ship Hercules , which sailed from England to New South Wales, from...

Diary of the convict ship Hercules, which sailed from England to New South Wales, from 26 November 1824 to 10 May 1825 by Michael Goodsir, surgeon and superintendent.

Folios 1-2: Francis Norris, convict, aged 39; disease or hurt, severe pain in the shoulders and loins accompanied with headache. Taken ill, 10 December 1824 at Spithead. Discharged 20 December 1824 cured.

Folios 2-4: Charles Hollowell, convict, aged 19; disease or hurt, pain in both arms from the elbows upwards also pain in the knee joints and fore part of the tibia of the right leg, has several scurfy blotches on the face and hairy scalp, on examination found a bubo open on the right groin. Taken ill, 9 January 1825 at Spithead. Discharged 31 January 1825 cured.

Folios 4-6: William Chapman, convict, aged 18; disease or hurt, phymonis with warts covering the whole of the inside of the prepuce and glans penis, accompanied with a very fetid discharge and slight swelling of the glands of both groins. Says he has been in this state for several weeks before he left the Hulk at Portsmouth. Taken ill, 10 January 1825 at sea. Discharged 10 March 1825 cured.

Folios 7-8: Charles Simes, convict, aged 23; disease or hurt, pain and swelling of the testicle of the left side the pain extending towards the loins. Taken ill, 20 January 1825 at sea. Last entry, 23 February 1825.

Folio 9: James Sammon, private, 41st Regiment, aged 30; disease or hurt, large foul looking ulcer situated on the inside of the prepuce, one of the glands of the left groin enlarged and painful to the touch. Taken ill, 12 January 1825 at sea. Discharged cured 20 February 1825.

Folios 10-11: Edward Thomason, convict, aged 36; disease or hurt, complains of great weakness and want of appetite. Says he has long been subject to fits of epilepsy. Taken ill, 10 January 1825 at sea. Discharged cured 20 February 1825.

Folios 11-12: John Gregson, convict, aged 30; disease or hurt, violent headache and pain across the chest accompanied with hot dry skin, full bounding pulse, eyes very red and inflamed. Taken ill, 19 January 1825 at sea. Discharged cured 12 February 1825.

Folios 12-13: James Franklin, convict, aged 53; disease or hurt, difficulty breathing. Says he has not been able to sleep except 'in the erect posture' for some time. Sense of suffocation has increased since coming into warm weather. Taken ill, 31 January 1825 at sea. Died 3 February 1825.

Folios 13-14: Thomas Wardell, convict, aged 19; disease or hurt, attacked with severe purging and griping attended with nausea and retching. Tongue foul and appetite gone. Taken ill, 10 February 1825 at sea. Discharged 25 February 1825 cured.

Folios 14-15: William Cousins, convict; disease or hurt, severe purging and griping. Tongue foul, no appetite, sickness and inclination to vomit. Taken ill, 16 February 1825 at sea. Discharged 26 February 1825.

Folios 15-16: Mathew Fennel, private, aged 41; disease or hurt, violent pain of right side just above the 6th rib with headache and difficult respiration. Pulse full and bounding. Skin hot and dry, tongue furred. States he felt cold shivering before pain was felt. Has been long subject to the complaint and has often been bled and blistered. Taken ill, 22 February 1825 at sea. Discharged 7 March 1825 to duty.

Folios 16-17: Emanuel Phillips, convict, aged 19; disease or hurt, severe purging and griping which has troubled him for several days. Taken ill, 25 February 1825. Discharged 10 April 1825.

Folio 18: Robert Fuller, convict, aged 20; disease or hurt, fixed pain in the right hypochondrium accompanied with difficulty of breathing and frequent dry cough. Taken ill, 10 March 1825 at sea. Discharged 18 March 1825.

Folio 19: John Bacon, convict, aged 19; disease or hurt, purging and griping for which he had 15 grains of rhubarb. Taken ill, 10 March 1825 at sea. Discharged 22 March 1825.

Folio 19: John Green, private, 41st Regiment, aged 20; disease or hurt, about half past nine on the evening of the 18th March was alarmed by the report of a gun. On going on deck I heard the sentry calling out he was shot and found most of the Guard and seamen under arms believing the convicts were making their escape. On enquiry I found the sentry in the fore hatchway was shot through the wrist by his musket having gone off by accident. Little or no bleeding from the wound a bandage and simple dressing applied for the night on the morning was taken to the Military hospital where they had some hopes of saving his hand.

Folio 20: Blank.

Folio 21: a numerical abstract of the medical cases mentioned in the journal.

Folio 21: Surgeon's general remarks. Having had a quick passage and favourable weather to New South Wales Fortunate in having few sick. I lost only one man during the voyage he had been for many years subject to asthma, aged and a ruined constitution when he came on board. [Signed] Michael Goodsir, surgeon, RN.