CO129-026 - Bonham - 1848 [9-12] — Page 13

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The accompanying list will be called to show that the Colonial Surgeon may, in virtue of his office, afford medical attendance to 498 individuals. His prescriptions are made up for the Police, at a druggist's in the Town; the Police in the Government Offices paying for their own medicines, as the Government has no store of these, or dispensary of any kind, nor has the Colonial Surgeon assistance of any description, a messenger at five Dollars a month excepted. He is, for the above reasons, compelled in some instances where Europeans are patients, to send them to the Seaman's Hospital, during their stay in which, the Government is compelled to pay for them, as it is a private institution, where private individuals are charged for those whom they may cause to be admitted into the same establishment.

It is manifest to me, my Lord, that under the above circumstances, it is impossible that 498 persons, a number nearly equal to the strength of a battalion on foreign service, could be properly attended to by a single surgeon; and taking into consideration the present sickly state of the Colony, and the necessity obviously existing for the appointment of some place for the reception of the sick, and for thereby ensuring effectual medical aid, I have directed, as a temporary measure, that a house, to be used for the time being as a hospital, be rented, and a small establishment, as per enclosed memorandum, be entertained. This is estimated at about one hundred and twenty-five Dollars per month, but it is impossible to state what its precise amount will be, as the item of medicine, as will appear from the last mentioned document, varies greatly at different periods. From the last mentioned document it will be seen that the cost of medicines in July was £37.11.1, while in the last month, August, it amounted to...