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October 28, 2010

Surgeon's Journal for Ship Elizabeth Ireland to Quebec 1825

Anyone with ancestors who were part of the Peter Robinson settlement of Upper Canada in 1825 will want to see the Journal of the Transport Ship Elizabeth between 4 May 1825 & 21st July 1825

This journal (which adds the comment "during which time the said ship has been employed in conveying the Irish Emigrant Settlers from Cork to Quebec.") consists of 55 pages of detailed notes on each of the 21 Irish passengers Surgeon Power treated.

I have extracted the names, ages, dates of admission, whether the patient died or recovered and a few notes for some patients. Most patients have their illnesses noted in detail, along with medicines given, reaction of patient and other data. The wealth of information is incredible and there are interesting, albeit horrifying, descriptions of life on board the ship as well as some of the more ghastly medical problems passengers presented with - such as a 7 1/2 foot (Yes, I said FOOT, not inches...) long intestinal worm.

This Surgeon's Journal comes from the newly added Surgeons at Sea - Royal Navy Medical Officers' journals on National Archives UK. The series consists of journals and diaries compiled by Royal Navy surgeons and assistant surgeons who served on HM ships, hospitals, naval brigades, shore parties and on emigrant and convict ships in the period 1793 to 1880. Many of the journals were for ships sailing to Australia.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting this reference.

Keep Smilin
Jenn

M.C. Moran said...

Wow! This is a great source. Thanks for posting.