Catalogue description Medical and surgical journal of His Majesty's Convict Ship 'William Glen Anderson' for 2...

Medical and surgical journal of His Majesty's Convict Ship 'William Glen Anderson' for 2 May to 7 November 1831 by Charles Inches, MD Surgeon Superintendent, during which time the said ship was employed in a passage to Van Diemen's Land.

Folios 1-2: Thomas Preston, aged 41, Prisoner; disease or hurt, neuralgia. Put on sick list, 1 June 1831, at Spithead. Discharged, 12 June 1831. 'Tall, of a spare habit, sallow complexion, generally healthy'.

Folio 2: James Needham, aged 25, Soldier; disease or hurt, pseudo syphilis. Put on sick list, 2 June 1831, Spithead. Discharged, 26 June 1831. He had had repeated secondary attacks of a similar sort in the previous two years. He had spent three months in a military hospital in Ireland for syphilis.

Folio 3: William Sheldon, aged 22, Prisoner; disease or hurt, coup de soleil. Put on sick list, 14 June 1831, at sea. Discharged, 16 June 1831. 'Full habit, short thick neck, fair complexion, usually healthy'. While sitting on the deck in the sun he suddenly fell down insensible and had convulsions which had the appearance of but were not truly epileptic.

Folio 3: William Sheldon, [aged 22, Prisoner]; disease or hurt, epilepsia. Put on sick list, 25 June 1831, at sea. Discharged, 9 July 1831.He was 'seized with fits having a more decidedly epileptic nature'.

Folios 3-4: James Green, aged 26, Prisoner; disease or hurt, vulnus. Put on sick list, 4 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 18 July 1831. He was stabbed in the left knee with a clasp knife.

Folio 4: Edward Swain, aged 22, Prisoner; disease or hurt, diarrhoea. Put on sick list, 6 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 18 July 1831. 'Full habit, one leg, healthy in general'.

Folio 5: Joseph Mather, aged 26, Prisoner; disease or hurt, diarrhoea. Put on sick list, 10 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 20 July 1831. 'Painter by trade, naturally florid, of delicate complexion'.

Folio 6: James Needham, aged 25, Private Soldier; disease or hurt, erysipelas. Put on sick list, 6 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 10 July 1831. 'Spare make, delicate sickly habit', had been recently on the sick list with pseudo syphilitic sores.

Folios 6-7: William Bamford, aged 22, Prisoner; disease or hurt, contusio. Put on sick list, 10 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 31 July 1831. 'Fair complexion, healthy plethoric habit.' He had lost his left hand and slipped going down the main ladder, landing on his right shoulder. He was unable to use the right arm, which also hung slightly lower than the left with a droop of the shoulder.

Folios 7-9: Fred Garrett, aged 20, Prisoner; disease or hurt, typhus. Put on sick list, 18 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 7 Sept 1831. 'Tall and spare habit' butcher by trade and accustomed to a country life'. He had been losing flesh and strength for two or three weeks and looked very emaciated. On 4 August the surgeon consulted with Dr Armstrong, Surgeon of the Naval Hospital at the Cape, who was of the opinion that Garrett's symptoms indicate 'obscure scurvy'.

Folio 10: James Callan [or Caltan], aged 19, Prisoner; disease or hurt, pleurodyne. Put on sick list, 28 July 1831, at sea. Discharged, 11 Aug 1831. 'Healthy habit - country bred'.

Folio 11: Thomas Prosser, aged 24, Private Soldier; disease or hurt, bronchitis. Put on sick list, 9 Aug 1831, at sea. Discharged, 22 Aug 1831. 'Spare habit, of little strength. Fair complexion - narrow chested.'

Folio 12: William Clarke, aged 26, Private Soldier; disease or hurt, febricula. Put on sick list, 12 Aug 1831, at sea. Discharged, 21 Aug 1831. 'Very robust and plethoric habit'. Complained of rigors and chilliness, alternating with hot flushings and accompanied by slight headache.

Folios 13-15: Robert Milson, aged 25, Prisoner; disease or hurt, scrofula. Put on sick list, 4 Sept 1831, at sea. Sent on shore with the other prisoners at Hobart Town, 7 November 1831. 'Labourer. Country bred, of highly scrofulous habit and aspect', he had a tumour the size of a pigeon's egg behind his right ear which was thought to be a wen and attributed to catching cold a few months previously. On 7 and 8 September the ship is recorded as being in Table Bay and Cape Town, respectively. He was still unwell when discharged.

Folios 16-17: James Green, aged 26, Prisoner; disease or hurt, bronchitis. Put on sick list, 24 Sept 1831, at sea. Discharged, 8 Oct 1831. 'Middle size - well made - generally healthy. Fair complexion'.

Folios 17-18: William Clarke, aged 26, Private Soldier of Guard; disease or hurt, pleurodyne. Put on sick list, 13 Oct 1831, at sea. Discharged, 28 Oct 1831. He had suffered much from rheumatism and lumbago since being put off the list on 21 Aug. His appetite had been bad and the lumbago persisted until the previous day when the pain left his back and attacked his right side.

Folios 18-19: Joseph Rust, aged 30, Prisoner; disease or hurt, urticaria. Put on sick list, 14 Oct 1831, at sea. Discharged, 24 Oct 1831. 'Full habit, ruddy complexion and delicate skin'.

Folios 19-21: William Pavett, aged 32, Prisoner; disease or hurt, febricula. Put on sick list, 22 Oct 1831. Discharged, 2 Nov 1831. 'Generally healthy but of late on the occasion of a scald on leg and a contusion on his [knee], considerable constitutional derangement exhibited'.

Folios 21-22: William Barlow, aged 23, Private Soldier; disease or hurt, pleurodynia. Put on sick list, 4 Nov 1831, Hobart Town. Discharged on shore, convalescent, 7 Nov 1831. 'Middle size, well made - healthy habit'. Suffered a hard barking cough in paroxysms for a fortnight.

Folio 23: Abstract of the preceding journal, being a summary of all the cases contained therein, nosologically arranged.

Folios 24-26: Surgeon's general remarks. The good weather when they sailed and the gradual introduction into a warmer climate contributed to the general good health of the prisoners during the voyage. The prisoners were kept in the open air as much as possible and were more capable of enduring the cold when in the high southern latitudes. The surgeon paid attention to dryness and cleanliness, both in the prisoners and their accommodation. The bedding of both the prisoners and the guard was taken up on deck as early as possible and the prisoners sent up on deck to wash and clean themselves. After breakfast the prisoners were sent up on deck again, with the exception of a few who cleaned below decks, dry holystoning under the beds and washing and scraping the gangways. Lower bed boards were kept up for several hours to dry beneath the beds. In fine weather the prisons were kept clear of prisoners for a time to cool and ventilate them, swinging stoves were used in damp weather. The prisoners were encouraged to stay on deck until sunset, when they were ordered below, mustered and the prisons secured for the night. Lime juice was given early in the voyage with much benefit to health. Apart from the severe case of typhus there was scarcely anyone confined to bed during the voyage and seldom more than one or two on the sick list. This was remarkable as the weather was very cold and stormy from the Cape of Good Hope to Van Diemen's Land. The prisons were occasionally flooded by water taken on board and the prisoners were very poorly clothed by this time, many without shoes. The case of typhus and one of scrofulous ulcers were the only two of any note. Minor bowel complaints were common at first, probably due to the change in diet, and constipation in many demanded the use of purgatives. There were two births and one miscarriage among the women of the guard. With few exceptions the conduct of the prisoners was orderly and very satisfactory. Charles Inches MD, Surgeon RN Superintendent.