A letter to the Commissioners of Military Enquiry, containing a refutation of some statements made by Mr. Keate, Surgeon General to the Forces, respecting the Medical Department of the Army / [Robert Jackson].

  • Jackson, Robert, 1750-1827.
Date:
1808
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the Commissioners of Military Enquiry, containing a refutation of some statements made by Mr. Keate, Surgeon General to the Forces, respecting the Medical Department of the Army / [Robert Jackson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    60/66 (page 58)
    De la Tour, colonial inspector, detected frauds and repre¬ sented abuses; but he had not authority to cause his repre¬ sentations to be attended to: the hospital of contract became the receptacle of people of all descriptions, and frequently of the most trifling diseases. The principle of the plan ap¬ peared to be injurious to the service; the abuses of it were insufferable; but a formal agreement had been made, and it required to be abolished in form. It was therefore pioposed in the first place to cut off its more glaring abuses ; and, in this view, an order was procured to examine the sick in the hospitals of contract, and to cause to be dismissed the cases of slighter malady. This was effected without resistance; but the termination of the contract was warded off, by one means or other, till the month of January. The extent of it, however, had been much circumscribed, at Croix des Bouquets, by the establishment of convalescent hospitals, on a regimental footing, for the Hussars quartered in the plain. It was finally dissolved on the 24th of January. The Medi¬ cal Department is now regulated according to the following plan :— 1st. Each regiment, consisting of 500 men and upwards, is allowed one surgeon major, with the rank, pay and emo¬ luments of captain ; an assistant surgeon, with the pay of seven shillings and sixpence per day and the allowance of subaltern ; two inferior assistants, with a pay of five shillings each ; the allowances the same as those of chief assistant: the rank as to quarters, &c. inferior to that of ensign. Regiments consisting of a smaller number than 500 are al¬ lowed one surgeon, with seven and sixpence per day and the allowances of captain: an assistant at five shillings with the allowances of subaltern : small corps, consisting of 100 men, are allowed one surgeon, at a pay of seven shillings and sixpence per day and the allowances of captain ; but no assistant till the number of the corps exceeds 150. 2d. A house is provided, as contiguous as possible to the head quarters of each corps, for the reception of the sick. It is fitted