Catalogue description Medical and surgical journal of the Amity Emigrant Ship for 5 April to 9 July 1825 by...

Medical and surgical journal of the Amity Emigrant Ship for 5 April to 9 July 1825 by James McTernan, Surgeon and Superintendent, during which time the said transport was employed in conveying Irish Emigrants from Cork to Upper Canada.

Folios 1, 2: Richard Fitzgerald, aged 10; disease or hurt, diarrhoea, nausea, febrile quick pulse. Put on sick list, 23 May 1825. Put on sick list, 25 May.

Folios 1, 2, 3: Catharine Scully, aged 29; disease or hurt, obstipatio. Put on sick list, 23 May 1825. Discharged cured, 27 May 1825.

Folios 1, 2, 3, 4: Kitty McCarthy, aged 14; disease or hurt, rigor succeeded by fever. Put on sick list, 23 May 1825. Discharged cured, 29 May 1825.

Folios 2, 3, 4: Judith Callaghan, aged 34; disease or hurt, sea sick, no evacuations for some days, far advanced in pregnancy. Put on sick list, 24 May 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 28 May 1825.

Folios 2, 3: Mrs Stack, aged 32; disease or hurt, advanced in pregnancy, constipation, nausea, thirst. Put on sick list, 24 May 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 27 May 1825.

Folios 3, 4: Robert Gordon, aged 19; disease or hurt, cough, pain of his chest, frequent hard pulse. Put on sick list, 25 May 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 30 May 1825.

Folio 3: May Crowly, aged 36; disease or hurt, severe spasmodic pains in the lower abdomen. Put on sick list, 25 May 1825. Discharged cured, 26 May 1825.

Folio 4: Child McCarthy, aged 4; disease or hurt, oppression of the chest, cough, febris. Put on sick list, 31 May 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 3 June 1825.

Folio 4: Mary McCarthy, aged 40; disease or hurt, severe colic pains. Put on sick list, 2 June 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 3 June 1825.

Folios 4, 5: Jonathan Sullivan, aged 20; disease or hurt, severe griping, tenesmus, tormina. Put on sick list, 5 June 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 9 June 1825.

Folios 5, 6: Peggy Murray, aged 29; disease or hurt, costive for some days, troublesome pain of the head, fever, a quick hard pulse. Put on sick list, 11 June 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 15 June 1825.

Folios 5, 6, 7: Jeremiah Driscoll, aged 42; disease or hurt, febrile affection. Put on sick list, 14 June 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 19 June 1825.

Folios 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: Richard [Jonathan] English, aged 48; disease or hurt, diarrhoea with some griping. Put on sick list, 14 June 1825, at sea. Delivered over to the care of Surgeon W H Reade, in charge of Irish Emigrants at Prescott, 9 July 1825.

Folios 6, 7, 8: James [Child] Carty, aged 6; disease or hurt, feverish and restless, pulse hurried, belly hard. Put on sick list, 17 June 1825, at sea. Discharged cured, 25 June 1825.

Folio 7: No new cases.

Folios 8, 9: [Jeremiah] Callaghan, aged 6; disease or hurt, 'a crippled feeble child' suffering want of nutrition. Put on sick list, 27 June 1825, at La Chine. Died, 29 June 1825.

Folio 9: Child Scully, aged 2; disease or hurt, affected similarly with child Callaghan atrophy without pain, has refused its diet. Put on sick list, 28 June 1825, at La Chine. Died, 1 July 1825.

Folio 10: Treatment for Jonathan English from 3 to 9 July 1825, arrival at Prescott. Signed James W Ternan, Surgeon Superintendent.

Folios 11-17: Blank folios.

Folio 18: Abstract of the preceding journal, being a summary of all the cases contained therein. Continued fevers, 2; Pulmonic inflammation, 3; Diarrhoea, 4; Bowel complaint commencing in constipation, 5; Spasms, 2 ;[Worms], 2; Atrophia, 2, both of which died at La Chine.

Folios 18-19: Surgeon's general remarks. An opinion for the regulation of future emigration from Ireland may be founded upon the very few and very trifling cases which occurred. There were many short cases of dysenteric diarrhoea, the example given was protracted because of the age of the patient. Change of diet was invariably the cause. In the Surgeon's opinion, 'the class of Irish which comes under notice for emigration is known to subsist upon the lowest species of provisions' and the change to 'very abundant and very varied supply', combined with the change from constant hard labour to comparative idleness is bound to affect them. The Surgeon suggests simplifying the diet to more resemble what they are used to. Tea and cocoa should be dispensed with, apart from a small supply of tea at the Surgeon's discretion. Peas may also be dispensed with and oatmeal and potatoes can make up the deficit. The vaccine matter supplied was ineffectual, as was the case with vaccine matter supplied to a convict ship that the Surgeon served on. Signed James McTernan Surgeon RN, Superintending ship Amity.