Search for content in message boards

ships doctors

ships doctors

Posted: 19 Feb 2015 6:16PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi,
Crew lists do not seem to list the doctors or surgeons who were appointed to care for the immigrants sailing from Liverpool to New York. Where can I find their names???. I am interested in the years 1861 and 1862.
Thank you
M Head

Re: ships doctors

Posted: 31 Mar 2015 8:13PM GMT
Classification: Query
I think you may have some difficulties here simply because of the complexities of the regulations about doctors and their qualifications and the snobbery and class consciousness of the times.
First of all, doctors were covered by "Agreement with Crew" which should, as far as I know, mean they should be on the "crew list". However, the Maritime Marine Act (not the exact title!) 1844 which said that every foreign-going ship having 100 persons or upwards aboard should carry a doctor was added to later by the ruling that any vessel "... the voyage of which was deemed to exceed 80 days for sailing vessels and 45 days for steam vessels....". shall carry on board as part of her complement some person duly authorised by law to practice as a physician, surgeon or apothecary .." if there were upwards of 50 persons on board. Every ship travelling to North America, where the number of statute passengers exceeded 100 .... had to carry a doctor and every ship, regardless of destination "...where the number of passengers exceeded 500" also had to carry a doctor. None of these regulations referred to emigrant ships which came into a special category. "...a duly authorised medical practitioner" should be carried "a) where the number of steerage passengers on board exceeds 50.." and also "b) where the number of persons on board (including cabin passengers, officers and crew) exceeds 300". The medical practitioner was considered to be duly authorised if "a) he is authorised by law to practise as a legally qualified practitioner ..." b) his name has been notified to the Emigration Officer at the port of clearance and has not been objected to by him,.." and c) he is provided with proper surgical instruments to the satisfaction of that Officer." The emigrant ships were covered by yet another clause! "When the majority of the steerage passengers, or as many as 300 of them, are foreigners, ANY medical practitioner whether authorised or not, may, if approved by the Emigration Officer, be carried therein".
With this being the case, it seems to me that there could quite easily be many an ermigrant ship which had someone sailing as a "doctor" whose qualifications were, to say the least, questionable.
All that being said I would suggest you turn to the Merseyside Museums - they have vast stores of knowledge and records including a Forum which provided a 10-year old puzzle with a possible answer as to why someone was recorded as having "died at sea" on a ship which was not at sea on the date quoted. Someone in the Forum produced some newspaper cuttings which showed he had actually died in harbour in New York and been buried on Staten Island. Curious story. They are very knowledgeable and helpful in anything to do with Liverpool and its shipping. Hope this is of some help to you.
per page

Find a board about a specific topic