Remote & Rural Remedies

"Survey return from Dr. Ballenden"

Stromness.

1851.

RCP/COL/4/8/252

Dr. Ballenden was a medical practitioner in Stromness.

Stromness was a parish and a market and seaport town on the Orkney Islands. In 1887, its population was 2410. It had a good and accessible harbour, with many inhabitants employed in fishing. The parish also had a distillery, ropeworks and shipbuilding yards.

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[[Addressee]]
Dr. Ballenden
Stromness

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

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

About thirty years

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

north sixteen miles, south about fourteen

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

north always horses
south boats, always by sea

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

very bad – to the north, sea south

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

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?

The Island of Walls part of Hoy – Fara Island, Cava, and
Flota have no medical aid, often called there, and detained
from bad weather, the people a vey¹ poor, 1300 in the united Parish, much in need
of medical aid, but not able to support one, - I would willingly go often
could² funds
be raised to pay my
expences – or would
visit them once a week
or oftener, could a salary
be allowed.
They have done all in
their power but could
not. It is the most
neglected part in Orkney –
and often people die
for want of aid. I have often thought Government should do
something for that neglected locality. Fleets often enter Longhope and
no medical aid near than Stromness. I think about £60
I could visit them once a week and pay all expences. They
are much in want of medical aid - and even in all the
locality one person who can bled³, but an woman

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 boats they come are often bad
not been able to have good ones, and were
funds allowed a good one would be got. I have
to land on the baren shore far from houses
and remain until daylight, not being
able to trust to the boat, but could I
get a good boat, I would visit them
oftener, they are much to be felt for

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Explanatory notes:

1. Misspelling of “very”.
2. From the word “could” this answer is written in a column down the side of the page then continues under the answer to query 7.
3. Bleeding, or bloodletting, is the withdrawal of blood from a patient to prevent or cure illness and disease. This was a common medical practice in the 1800s, dating back to antiquity, and was often carried out by unlicensed healers as well as qualified physicians.