Remote & Rural Remedies

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"Survey return from Dr. Bruce"

Thurso.

1851.

RCP/COL/4/8/234

Dr. Bruce was a medical practitioner in Thurso.

Thurso is a market town which was in the historic County of Caithness. The main occupation for inhabitants was in fisheries and coasting trade, as well as some manufacturing including linen and straw-plaiting. In 1831, the population was 4679.

[[Addressee]]
Dr Bruce
Thurso

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

1. How long have you practiced in the locality you at present occupy?

Four years

2. What are the ordinary and what the greatest distances which you have to travel in visiting patients?

Ordinary from 6 to 12 miles – greatest 20

3. What means of conveyance do you employ in going long journeys?

riding

4. What is the state of the roads in your neighbourhood?

good, except when we have
to cross the moors

5. Is the position of medical men in general in your quarter improved, or otherwise, of late years?

I should think this position is improved

6. Supposing the people of the Highlands and Islands were generally able to pay for medical
advice, according to rates usually observed in other parts of the kingdom, what extent of
country in your locality would you regard as sufficient to occupy a single practitioner
fully?

I should think that a single Practitioner
here could manage double the extent of country that
one could do in the South, owing to the thinness of the
population

7. Mention, if you please, any special hardships incident to your situation, such as you think
might be remedied by some general measure or enactment?

The only special hardship
here is that the Parochial Boards have appointed
one medical man to attend the Paupers in no less
than five and a half Parishes (I having only the half
of the Parish of Thurso) extending over a space of country
of about 20 miles square; - he keeps an assistant
no doubt because he has so many parishes to attend to,
and to be a sort of an excuse for the Par. Boards for
giving him so much; that the above is a special hardship
to the other resident medical men I have no doubt the
Committee will at once see, and I hope they will be
able by some general measure or enactment to do
away with it; I have complained of it more than
once to the Board of Supervision, but of course got
no satisfactory answer.

[[Additional text]]

Mr Bruce, M.D.
Surgeon Edinb

"Survey return from Dr. Bruce"

Thurso.

1851.

Dr. Bruce was a medical practitioner in Thurso.

Thurso is a market town which was in the historic County of Caithness. The main occupation for inhabitants was in fisheries and coasting trade, as well as some manufacturing including linen and straw-plaiting. In 1831, the population was 4679.