CO885(2-3) — Page 631

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference

C.O.885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

3 PUBLIC

RECORD OFFICE. LONDON:

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the settlement, and I may state that my authority over that department is merely nominal, inasmuch as I have no control over the subordinate officers, in dealing with them for offences against good order and discipline.

The expenses of the establishment for the year have been as follows :—

Medical officer

Chaplain

Head nurse

Dispenser

Assistant nurse

2 washers Cook

Total

STAFF.

COST OF ESTABLISHMENT.

Medicine and medical comforts Clothing

Tools and appliances

■. d.

187 10 0 175 0 0 150 0 0

Provisions and freight

50 0 0

37 10 0

50 0 0

Bread, milk, and meat

37 10 0

687 10 0

Total ..

Stationery

£

a. d. 272 4 8

113 17 9

6 13 4

13 8 91

0 19 0

261 18 0

669 1 64

The total cost of the establishment including salaries was 1,8531. 11s. 6d. The subor- dinate officers receive rations free of expense, as part of their pay.

The quarters occupied by the officers are in a wretched condition, as also some of the Leper's huts, many of them require to be put in thorough order, a new chapel is also much needed; my time has been too much occupied in the general repairs of the prison, which I hope shortly to complete, and when completed, the necessary repairs at Kaow Island shall receive my attention.

The work of cleaning the land about the huts, and the whole of the drains is per- formed by convict labour, as also cutlassing the bush; fresh meat, milk, and bread are supplied from the prison, which are taken over daily, and everything done that can be done to alleviate the sufferings of the unfortunate inmates of the establishment. reference to the Medical Officer's Report will show the admissions, discharges, deaths, and the number remaining on the 31st December, 1873.

Medical Officer's Report.

A

The medical history of the prison will be found in the tables appended to this report. The number of subordinate officers borne upon the medical books during the year 1873 was twenty-one, no death occurred among them. The medical statistics of the year will, I think on inspection, be found satisfactory. The sanitary state of the prison has been much improved by the alteration of the cell ventilators so as to admit more light and air, and the removal of the rank grass from the space immediately behind the hospital and prison buildings within the boundary fence. The elevated position of the prison renders the drainage perfect, and inasmuch as the whole of the soil from the cells is conveyed from the prison by means of the dry earth system, nothing remains to be carried through the sewers but the surface water. All the sewerage of the prison and houses on the Settlement is effectually mixed with earth and ashes, and utilized and ploughed into the land of the provision ground. The surrounding land outside the boundary is swampy, especially to the west of the prison; this, however, will shortly be obviated by the erection of a "koker," which will effectually drain that part of the Settlement.

An additional expense is cast upon the prison by the treatment of sailors, wood- cutters, and other poor inhabitants of the district who received medical aid and food free, and who are treated in the prison hospital. The mixing up of prisoners with free men in the prison hospital is, on the ground of discipline, most objectionable, leaving out the question of expense falling on the prison, and I venture to think that some arrangement may be made for the admission and treatment of free people at the Kaow Island where proper nurses are employed, instead of convict nurses, and the patients would be nearer their homes and place of work. I would strongly press this subject upon the considera- tion of the Government, as the room now used for free men is required for officers when sick.

Sir,

Her Majesty's Penal Settlement, February 6, 1874,

I have the honour to inform you that in accordance with your request, I have made out the Medical Returus for the past year. I shall now proceed to offer certain explana- tious and observations concerning them, which, together with the returns themselves, I have to request you to forward to his Excellency the Governor.

The first death from phthisis occurred in a man who was 24 years old, arrived at the settlement in March, 1870, and was admitted into the hospital in October, 1871; the victim in the second case was 21 years of age, arrived in December, 1870, and entered the hospital in October, 1872; the last fatal case of the same disease carried off a man

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aged 43, who arrived in 1869, was admitted into the hospital in October, 1872, discharged in February, 1873, and re-admitted in May. The patient who succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver, &c., came here in 1870, and was admitted with his last illness in April, 1873. The man who committed suicide was a Chinese, who came here in 1868; he was recover- ing from an attack of fever for which he had been admitted into the hospital, and I expected to be able to discharge him in a day or two when he began to exhibit symptoms of insanity; he was placed in a room frequently used for such people; one evening he suc ceeded in climbing up the frame work of the building to an opening just under the roof and threw himself out; he died on the second day after.

In Table VI the admissions include 28 men admitted twice, 8 admitted three times, 3 admitted four times, 7 admitted five times, 8 admitted six times, 4 admitted seven times, 1 admitted eight times, and I nine times, on each occasion for asthma; this man was also on the sick list for the same disease at the close of 1872.

The health of the men, so far as regards immunity from active and dangerous disease, has been good, but many of them are broken in constitution, and quickly thrown on the sick list by slight disturbing causes.

The free people treated comprise 30 woodcutters, 7 sailors from ocean going vessels, 4 labourers, 2 quarrymen, 19 native Indians, 1 warder, 2 domestics, 1 boat boy, 2 carpenters. There were 2 Englishmen, 1 Scotchman, 1 Irishman, 2 Prussians, 1 Frenchman, 1 Russian, 1 Dutchman, 2 from West India Islands, the rest were Guianese. The hospital of neces- sity receives no women as patients.

On the whole the lepers are doing well, and there has not been a death among them for many months. Whether or or not leprosy can be cured is a question now occupying many minds, and one which has lately acquired fresh interest from the statements made concerning its treatment in the Andaman Isles by the oil of the virgin tree. Doubtless more will be heard concerning this oil if it should really prove of as great service as it is said to do. But certain it is that by being well fed, well looked after, and medically treated, the lepers have their sufferings lessened, and their Kives prolonged, while at the same time they become less repulsive to those around them. One man at Koaw Island, who assures me he could not walk, and could scarcely stand, when he arrived there, now cultivates the ground near his cottage. Another who used to beg Dr. Beauperthuy to cut off his leg, so troublesome was an ulcer on it, until recently walked very fairly, and I think will again soon do so. This old sore broke out again, but it has again healed, and all he wants is power in the limb. I am trying electricity upon him with marked benefit. Nearly all those discharged were, I believe, much improved. They all went of their own accord. There was recently in this prison a convict who was treated for leprosy first by Dr. Beauperthuy, and afterwards by my predecessor, Dr. Anderson, from 1871 till last July, the latter sent him back to his work at this time, and he laboured till he obtained his ticket of leave. Time alone will show whether or not the disease will break out again in this

man.

It is to be hoped that before long the supply of fresh meat will be as regular as it once was; they are suspicious and persist in regarding its late irregular supply as only the

first of a series of misfortunes.

In conclusion I think I have but to mention that several cases of intermittent fever and febricola occurred among the free inhabitants of the Penal Settlement in August and September, and that the clerk's servant, a girl about sixteen, died during that period.

I have, &c.

W. S. B. POLLARD, Surgeon,

Her Majesty's Penal Settlement.

(Signed)

T. Sealy, Esq., Superintendent.

P.S. The oil of Cashew continues to be highly prized by all the patients.

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W. S..B. P.

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