114
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
February 1st-38 on the sick list. "This morning we found a man lying dead upon the deck, who had been in good health hitherto. He had marks of blows on his body, and the coolies (1) who slept near him said he fell down the hatchway in the night. A fall there could not have caused death, unless it was instant, from injury to the spine; and I believe he has received his injuries from the coolies. We cannot, however, discover." He makes No. 24.
This evening another of the lingering cases of diarrhea, a man about 30 years of age, died (No. 25).
2d-41 on the sick list; 25 cases of diarrhoea
"Many of these cases have been on hand ever since they exhausted their supply of opium. One boy, with worms, died I chanced to see the anus after death, and it was a complete and large syphilitic ulcer' (No. 26),
The boy mentioned a few days ago as having been accidentally salivated died this evening (No. 27).
3d. Very little alteration." No new cases.
4th.-"Fine warm day. Took the opportunity to give the lower deck a thorough good washing and holystoning, the third it has received since leaving Amoy. It is. "however, dry holystoned every morning." 41 cases on the sick list.
5th.-"One case of worms died" (No. 28). Another chronic diarrhoea in evening (No. 29). 40 cases on the sick list.
6th, Sunday.-Made the island of St. Helena at daybreak. Anchored off James Town at 10 a.m. Went ashore to see if I could get some more medicine. Got everything I wanted except anthelmintics.
7th-Lay all day, taking in fresh water and vegetables for coolies; 35 tons water, bags of potatoes, and 1,000 bundles of carrots. I deemed that we stood greatly in need of these articles, and Captain Hurst succeeded in exchanging some of the fat salt pork which we do not need for them. Purchased medicine to the amount of
for which I have paid. During the afternoon I received a visit from Dr. Wilson, the colonial surgeon.
He expressed himself very much pleased with the order and regu- larity and perfect cleanliness on board, in comparison to the state of the coolie ships he had seen recently."
Sailed from St. Helena at 7 p.m.
8th. "Calm day and very warm.
One of the poor wretches with chronic diarrhea,
"who yesterday was on deck a great part of the day, looking at the island, as soon as the
*
ship sailed, laid down and commenced crying; he died this morning (No. 30)." 37 cases
of sickness on the list.
9th." Lost one case of gastritis (No. 31)."
10th. "One case of worms died (No. 32)." 32 cases on the sick list, 22 of which are diarrhoea.
11th." One of the cooks died (No. 33). Also a case of paralysis (No. 34)." 12th." A case of liarrhea, lasting from Straits of Sunda, died (No. 35)" 13th, Sunday." Fine weather, growing warmer. Mustered all the people and
counted them.
27 on the sick list.
14th and 15th-No new cases. 16th-22 on the sick list. lively than they have done. at St. Helena, and are also in
17th-23 on the sick list.
311 on board.
35 deaths
346
352 first complement.
6 missing."
The generality of the coolies look much better and more They are very fond of the potatoes we procured for them high spirits of soon landing at their destination."
18th." Case of diarrhea, on hand for the past six weeks, died this evening (No. 36).” 21 on the sick list.
16
19th.-20 cases, 13 of which are diarrhea.
20th, Sunday,Thermometer, 84"; hot and damp. Cross the equator at 11 a.m.; long. 29° 40" 21 cases of sickness.
21st.-23 cases, of which 11 are diarrlien.
221-Sick list comprises
*
inflammation of brain
14 cases diarrhea
}
}}
gastritis
]
"
1
convulsions
"3
6
1)
syphilis
Total 23
23.—“ Lost two men. One of diarrhoea (No. 37), and one of inflammation of brain (No. 38). Three new cases of diarrhea.”
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
115
24th.-" Yesterday every one on board was put upon five pints of water per man, it having been discovered that there were not more than fourteen days water in the ship " at that allowance.
doing; and
"Mr. Boys had never paid any attention to what he was "had he been left three days longer we should not have had a gallon of water in the
ship."
Sick List
16 cases diarrhoea
7 syphilis
N
3
1
ケナ
1
Total 28
25th.-Thirty cases of sickness.
26th. Twenty-seven on the sick list.
diarrhoea
wornus
nephritis
27th.-One death. One of the oldest and most obstinate cases of diarrhoea. (No. 39). Twenty on the sick list.
28th-Seventeen on the sick list.
"While we were at dinner this day, one of the coolies who had been ill of diarrhoea "threw himself overboard. He told the others, before he did so, that he feared to go ashore, because he could not work, and the mandarins would kill him (No. 40). "At P.M., another young man, who had been in a quarrel below with some one, rushed. upon deck, and climbing the rail threw himself off. The fore topmast studding sail "boom brace and after guy caught him as he fell, which allowed time for one of the "Lascars to seize him before he disentangled himself We brought him aft upon the poop, gave him two dozen for his attempt, and confined him to one of the guns. This "is the way in which we have lust our men. They are the worst race of people I have "ever met with."
Males Sick List.
24
7 diarrhoea
4 syphilis
4 other diseases
Total 15
Besides some few trifling cases of diarrhoea, which I give an occasional dose of opium.
2d.-Sixteen on the sick list.
•
3d.--Case of hæmorrhage from the lungs died this morning, (No. 40.) "All but a few cases looking better."
4th.-Friday morning, made the Berbice light-house at 5 A.3., and Demerara light- ship at 10A.M.
SIR,
Health Office, Demerara, March 4, 1853.
I HAVE the honour to state, for the information of his Excellency the Governor that
I this day visited the ship "Samuel Boddington," just arrived from Amoy, after ninety- eight days passage.
I find there were embarked, from the 10th to the 23d November last, 352 male adults. Of these there have died on board forty, making a mortality of eleven
r cent.
Of those who have arrived, twenty-seven are now on their way to the Colonial Hospital, chiefly cases of diarrheen and debility.
Both captain and surgeon report it a very troublesome matter to convey this class of immigrants, chiefly from their quarrelsome disposition and vile habits. Ten men, or possibly more, jumped overboard in a state of excitement from fighting. A few cases of bilious remittent fever occurred in the Straits of Sundly, but, generally speaking, the people are reported to have been healthy. As soon as their supply of opium was finished diarrhoea commenced; and out of the forty deaths that have occurred, upwards of thirty may be ascribed to the want of their usual immoderate quantity of that drug. As it is. upwards of two pounds of opium, eight pounds of laudanum, one pound of Dover's powder, and half a pound of the compound powder of chalk,--the two latter medicines containing powdered opium in their composition,—have been consumed in the treatment of diarrhea. This checked the disease for a time, but so soon as the medicine was intermittel the disease re-appeared.
Lime-juice was not used in any part of the voyage. The surgeon was refused it, along with a number of other articles; such as vaccine lymph, sweet spirits of nitre, &c,
The provisions and water appeared quite good.
The Right Hon. W. Walker, Government Secretary, British Guaina.
P 2
I have, &c. (Sigal) JOHN M. JOHNSTONE,
Health Officer.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O. 885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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