The Sun.
London, England, 1810-02-10 00:00:00

ittg

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Upon th 9 arrival of, the Sick from Walcheten,
irds..and regituentS of the line, were they sepa-;
'd, and- under- what 'care were -the' Guards put
utn_ .)n their arrival' lir- England if separated ?—Until
tip y could be conveniently sem ated, they %tient'
_ac-
:e umpdated irkhospitals with. the-troops of-the line.
Have ti'ey • been so separated as to cease alto,ge-
t% .;:r ti, be ul,der ynur cart.; ?—Th:-.1, were very early
separated.; tiley.ll,:te ceased 'altogether; Or nearly
...so,. to be ter r nay , .
Do y.OO ki:ow what is' now the state of the regi-
mel,t.: of the line 'which- retufnediFom Walchren,
• as to tire disease,.they contracted -in the Island of
Wirdieren ?—Genelaily ioTroving. ,
Are there tyriny still sick, and -hare any Niel)

.. sick lately ,wh© Were not so before, and ate -there
many relapses ?—There ere, not many now sick ;
there- have not many. fallen sick lately, but there
were a great many .relapses.
• It there a*.conSi,:elable or any mortality now
among the troops, in. consequence of- the disease
-contracted at Walcheren ?—Very.little.

. 7Do Yan, know tha-t the di;tribution.of medi-
cine's wtrich.did arrive at Walche:ren,-there was any
difficulty. so" as to preve,nt .the Hospital MAks and
the•lnsp-ror -there obtaining the medicines .that
were so sent ?-,--At one period I did hear .of some
confasi:in of that kind; it was very little, and
created up' real detriment to the
.service.. .
14ave• you - beard any complaints that, the sick
among the troops were suffering_ from the want of
bed:ling or Vhinkeis beard of .such complairitk
;and were_ immediately remedied by sending
out a larger prouortion Of bedding and blankets. •
Did.ihe 'sick among the -troops suffer, from the
want of bedding and blinkets at arty time ?—No
Such repoljt was /made .to me officially of (lie sick
_ -Sufferingtfuonlttie want of bedding and blankets..
Po yO'i knoW'of any itch fact.efficiedly or other-
wise ?---As soar as I recetypd, such report that the
sick .%•ete in' want of trtlditigand blankets, I imme-
d,:tftly orticid a large cp.i.ttittly
Do you. know of any' such iata offiCially or other-
%: , r
do not. •

V.rhen. do you think the regi:nents.vvhieb have re-
turt:,cd. fr(,m. Waletireu rnlly on an average be fit-
Car foro.7n 56.-vice again ?--7They hale 'suffered so
lifferentty that 1 panoot answer tl:at question diret-
.. ly ; but 1 consitter that_.the amendment has been' so
_ greet in genet-di-amongst tl(at in- the, course of.
-very fes.l./.moutlis those that are. recoverable vtll
be fit for.duty. -*
-Whfit proportion do think are recoveraoe.?-7—l.
should think' of the present number of sic kpone-
ball may be reckoned upon as rreoverab e fit for

dut.s% .
:What is the tot numbe;',of- sick now ?—Of
four hundred in title tu, I conceive two hundltd
will be fit for -duty in a few months.
What is the to :.1 nuinbt:.ir• in all the districtS now
sick at the. Waicheren fever ?—I have only a return
ftom bne di,rrict I. have sent to the. other districts,
titt t ice not yyt received them the one from the.
.dtstrici olionsfour hot dyed and. ards) of
whomi con.ider.two I.'ll:hired will be fit for duty.
1-I,•ve, you inspected any
A of -. the regi,nents person
alkyncc their r.:turn ?—I have made 4r4 eated-vis.rts
to them all, to ail t.e
.
Then you speak upon your own observation
• when you s:7 you think half in Abe distri6t you
have now mentioned are recotietabk I—lt is an oh-

nervation made upon the return sent t 9. 'me by the
head of that distria. • '
• From your-evn Observation of the.,si.4 -returned
from Watcher& yOn. think that those ,Who have
been 'aft-lit-led tuitt, that diSf;ase are- littelf to be as
cti
effeve for foreign service if hackNver been
so afflided cannot tylention any precise nine
vi,;hefi they' could be tit for foreign set-Vice, but for
hots p duties ana light duties yon,ceive that they
will bet in a very little time.in the proportion
mentioned.

What do you meat by .a very little time ?—ln a
few months.
flowsmany months should fix the month of
May to be the latest.

At. hicli those-who are in the .best state will be,
fit for light duties ?7--Ycs.
. .
Does the Medical Board return to the Adjutant,
General's Office an account of the sick ip the .araiy
I 'wake a monthly teturn, and retort to the Com-
tnai_.dcir in Chief directly.. .

Do you,know any thing of a Report dated the tit
of lTebruary, and delivered in by, the Adjutant-Ge-
neral to this House ?-4 do not. •

By whotri,can such reports be drawn and made ?—.
I do not know to what the Honourable 'Member
refer.---:[The report- (was 'handed to the witness).---
I have not seen that before. .

Upon what authority cin these be stated sick in
the army ?-The Adjutant-General may po,,sess re-
turus from the, different regiments separate from
those from .the Medical Board; 'but once- a mpnth,
the 20th of every month, the Medical Board sends
in a return, to the ,Cotonlander.in Chief..
Do y01..1 know of your own knowledge, that per-
sons Who have been- afilift;:,.(l with the Walcheren

fever,' are sc.hjed to i-elapsei, n.any years,,in
spring and a to:un hot apprized,of such
circumstances.
.When was the Medical Board first established ?
In the ypar 1793. _•
What We're 'the purposes for which that Medical
'Board was established ?7-1.0 lake charge.Of +ire `sick
Of the priny.,7 ,
Are the Committee to understand, that the sick
of the army from the year 1793 to i,t; present nro
fnent,.have been node! th, .upertritending cate'or
the Medical Beare ?--4.)itly u t t the 'year 1798,,
when a different arrangement was made.
What was t t th;tore of the .;;t-rangement which .
took place in tile year 798.?1t allotted to each
.individual member of th 'Board •Ce:tain duties, and
certatWduties'coliectiv'elY to the hoard generally..
What was the nature Cif,'t he colteCtive duties ?
To anSWe'r letters refefted to'tlietu from head-quar,
- teis, and to make-a. return nionthly.of the , sick of
the army.
is there any salary attached to the office-of Mem-
ber of the Medical-Board is.
What is that:salary ?—The salary to the Physi-
cian-General is 40s. a,clay, to. the Surgeon-General-
-31.a day, to the Inspe.-tor-Generai 21.
,a "day as In-
.spector-,General, and 21. a day, os Comptroller Of.,
Army Hospitals. •
Is-the salary of 31: a thy to the Surgeon-General
exclusive of any other pay-or allowance; he receives
,for the diseharge of his duty as surgeon-General
He has no oilier pay or allowance except actual tra-
.
yelling expences..
Do you consider the army >as under the superin-
tending care generally of tie Medical Boartt estab-
lished ire 1793 ?—,ii is in manner dirarihruM under
their supetiutend;nce certainly :)Aing the collect-
live duties and 'the individual d4.es together, if is
under) heir sunerintendance:
Have the f,ledical .Board ever had referred to
theni, Since- the -09th of July Lst, to
,make any re,
pert to Government on the subject of the disorder .
which broke out in-Zealand ?—I believe not.
Ydu :stated rhas in tile- middle of September' you
attended a Cattinet ; what passed in that Cabinet
I Was geheralty'asked as to the state of the sick, both
abroad and at homes
Were any particular andd-pressing djrections given .
at that-Cabinet to you to send out Medicines ?—I do
not recollect that there was any particular direction
given to me to send out medicines; but I inferred
-generally that no expence was to .be spared.
Were you not directed upon that occasion to do
every thing thatceuld possibly contribute to the health
and advantage of the sick.?—Generally so I was.
Do not you furnish Medicines according to the
climate to .which the troops,may _be gning
it is known where the troops are goitig, it would be
a consideration if there was time given.
Do not you attend :particularly to bark upon these -,
occasions'?—ln general we have not the time given,
4or are we acquainted where exPeditions are to sail ;.
therefore 'the medicines-and stores are made up go.:
nerally fo' any service for which they may be want.,
and all subSeqUent supplies are in consequence
of requisitions froth the head of , the dr-„,arftnent.
Do you mean to say', that if an expedition 'Wag
going to the Coast of Africa, you tvoukl not supply
:it in a different manner than you would if it Was go-.
ink; to the'Mediterranean ?--If there -wna•tirne, and
I wits acquainted with its destination.
Would not bark have fitted as a preventative as
well as a cure of theValeheren fever, at certain
tit-nevi oithe disorder apprehend it would. '
• If you had been acquainted at the time of the ex:
VLit.ll its destination, would you not
have sent an additional quantity'of bark as a pre-
ventativa have already stated to the 'Committee
that r'should'have sent more bark if I had conceived

it was going to Walchery ; but I beg to .be under,
stOti'd,,that as the bark seut out with be expedition
was not consuintd until the 7th of Odober, and the
distance so very short„ there could be no doubt of
getting more over in time, if -requisitions had been/
n gde.
tiad you any pievious knowledge of the peculiar
unhealthiness of the Island of Walchereri, except-
from Sirjohn Pringle's book ; was it notorious ?
I-conceive that all the country of Zealand was uri.
healthy, and Walcheren a plot of it.. •
.Ifo you conceive that the scarcity of fresh water,

and the badness of its quality, had any infl,ence in
'the disorder amongthe troops ?-7—l have not heard of
d'scareity of-fresh water; but! have of the badness.
of its quality, and.l conceive that was detrimental to
the troops. ••
. Do. 'You conceive that if by
.any means the quit-
_tity and quality of the water could have been.
Euendtd or'irCreased, the health of the troops might

Piave, been inaterially affeeled I—l think- it might
.liave ameliorated their•condilionl6 a certain degree,
:bet.it could never have counteratAed the-dreadful
tffeeis_of the:climate. -

Way the,apprehension . which you entertained of
the effeCis of that climate such, that when you heard
of thar ex ped i t ion first art i Walciia re , • y4-Gu•
exl)e6ed what happened,?--1 .expe6ted it to a cer-
tain degree, but .not to the extent !Vat has happened.
Teo the committee is to
.understand. that-Abe
disorder differs in its virulence in different years•?—
I am 'so informed. • '

For, what. imr9ber •of men and what period of
time wc_fe The toedioatsupplies .originally provided ?-
-,-,Considering it as for a secret expeditioti -for thirty
thousand men, for six: • !'

Have you.any'knowledge of a letter having.been
received. at the-Bbard of which you are a Member;
directing one of that Bciaid to repair to. Walcheren,
in
_order.: fo ascertain the nature a the disease then
preValent ?—There was. a letter of •that description
• received at the Board; directing otie of that Boand to,
proceed with two physicians to Walcheren..
Member of that Board repair to Walcheren,
in consequence of, that letter so received at the
'Board Tab discussed at that Board, .who was--
Ithe•proper Member of the three to,go ; ..and it was
adjudged to b tt,e-F,nysi.cian General, "as it was 'a
medical
• ,
Did , the Physician General repair there 'according'
.to his instructions-?,—The Physiciati,.General waited.
:upon the coinmander in Chief, a:id it was settled by
the CoMmllnder in,Cliief.wit I) tie Secretary at, \Var ;
I believe that not to repair there, but that
tliere were to gb..three Physicians, "
-De you speak front documetit't; in the 'Office of
the_ j'ioard of which .you a-re a Member ?—:-No fur.;
pier than that if my serviceshattbeen'Thought inoro,
useful at Walct.eren than inthe.cure,of the sick on
the coast from Walcheren, L,AvJs,,ready-to.repair
Thither. -

Is tie Committee to understand from you that•the
Physician Genetird' refusM to repair theYe ?—I can-
not lscertain being settled • betwOen the
Comrpauder ha. Chief and 11;mself.:
Have. you not-reason to know that the fullest di- •
rections and, ant notify were issued iii a letter, dated,:
the 2d of September, to the-Commander. in Chief,
.directing that 'every exertion should be made to meet •
the pre...sure of sickness . that then pievaiicd.
There was a letter received at Board
from the .Cominander 'in Chief to that effect,- Sep--
tember the 4th',' for= additional Medical -Assistants
and medical stores: -

Did the Head of. the Medical a-partrnent of the
army in Walcheren, upon the arrival of the expedir.
lion if) the •Scheidt, make any ~representgion to the
Board,.that be considered the medical ar-
raogements of the army inadequate tv the service he
was then erhployed

De not you consider-it was his duty, if he.consi,
dered the arrangements as inadequate,. to
rei)regentat ion to the Medical Board to that, effect ?..-
I conceive it was his indispensrible diary-so to do.
-Do not, you consider-the Medical-Department of .
armies employed on •foreign service,: to, be acting
under the immediate.guidanee and direction of tiw
Medical Department et home ?—By no nean§.
Do notyou consider it, their duty to report to, the
Medic :n -13,ard. at borne 012 course of their proceed-
ings ?—I °think at would be nliach ketter tier The ser-
vice it they did; bet they are not -in :the •babii of
doing it.-
Ai e you riot of opinion-: it w•as:. the duty, of, the
:Medical Board, if they cd:;sicler that ther e• wiaS
defieietrey 'in. the supply of ,stores or medicines on,
that expedition; i.matediateiy to repair .that dt.A.
ciency ?—Ttre Medical Board's orders are to wait !or:
requisitions ; but in the. instance vf, soch pressing
emergency as bark for -IYalcheren,. I thought-it my
duty to send it whenever I found there was the least
'occasion. - • • *

If you were.of opinion that the- medical arrange-
ments that went upon that Expedition.were id any
respe6t inadeqqate, why aid you not take immediate,
steps, as soon as you knew that the artny.was gone to
Waltheren and the Scheldra for supplying such de-
ficiencies in the ,equipment. of- the army.?----/ con-
eived that the original. 'supply would be ade4aate,
until I should have re4uishions from . the 'principal
Medical Officers.
You:have stated that a letter .was received at the.
Office of the. Board of which. you are a •i ember,
requesting or directing that' one of the Members of
that Board should repairto Wafcheren ; what Was.
the date of that-letter, and by whom-was it signed ?
does;nat appear upon my paper that•l have at
present the date.. - '
Will you beable to give infortnation Jo the Cdtri-
,mittee upon a tuture.occasion ?-;--To-morrow.
DoYou not, therefore, consider. it his duty, to re-
port ;to tfie Commander of the Frees abroad, if
there are any deficiencies in his department ?—lt is-
his duty,so to do.
Can you inform the. Committee ' what quantity of
bark ought to be •alministered to one man in the.
-course.of twenty-four hours in the height of the •
.Walcheren fever ?.-4 have not been informed of its
administration in -that manner individually to'each
man : it is immediately under the direction of the"
Attendant 'Physician, who prescribes as be thi nkB,fit.
What quantity would you think proper to be ad-
4-nistered under 'these circumstances ?—lt is inipos-
sible tor me to deckle that, unless I saw the case.
Ciinnut.you, as a professional man, inform the
Committee what quantity of bark is administered
to -a strong 'man labouring under, a remitting fever,
in severe caseQ, in the course of tWenty-four hours
;---Itmust-depend upon the terture of the case,.upon
the' constitution of the man, and upon what his,
stomach 'will bear. 's - -' •

H.,ye you known as much as a pound given in
twenty-tour hours'--I never have.
, - As halls pound ?-1 inive not.

Hate yoU -riever known eight Ounces given in 24
hours ?--=-No,
Four ounces?--:--No, not so much as that. •

, •
Two ounces *i-1- speak-,'Very vaguely ; it is so
much a Matter of-opinibri at the time that
_a physt-
'-cian is Prescribing-tor the patient, that I can scarcely
say -What inig•ht or might not be given.
What quantity have you ever known given ?--I
have ynyisell known as much as two ounces.given,
bilt•that leas teen upon particular occasions-; 1 have;
l‘no.wn much, less answer the purpose.