Star.
London, England, 1810-02-09 00:00:00

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ADC (I) LOC

of medical assistance, and did not contain an account
of the death of the principal Physicians there, and
the necessity of supplying their places ?—I am not
aware that any physicians died there, and I am not
aware that any demand was made for assistance,
which was not immediately sent, except the Hospital
Mates, which the Surgeon General could not possibly
supply. I would add, that the letter of the Inspector
of Hospitalsin Walcheren will state that, if called for.
What was the obstacle in your judgment which
made it impossible to give a sufficient supply of Hos-
pital Mates ?—There were not sufficient medical prac-
titioners in London willing to undertake the business.
Do you know what efforts were- made to induce
Hospital Mates to undertake that business ?—The ap-
plying to those who were not sufficiently qualified to
have taken the duties of Hospital Mates on any other
service, they were offered to go, and were admitted to
go for that special service, but they were not in suffi-
cient number to answer the service.

Were any additional inducements by pay or any
other consideration of that kind offered,• to induce
Hospital Mates to undertake that service ?—I believe
not.
Do not you know that there was a demand and a
complaint of a want of medicine, which complaint
was not removed, and the medicines required were
not supplied am not competent to answer that
question, as it does not pass through my office, bpi
goes immediately through the Surgeon-General. •
Have you any reason to believe that if a larger
pay than usual had been offered, more Hospital
Mates might have been procured ?—I believe not.
What was the objection made by surgeons Who
were applied to, to go to Walcheren ?-11bose ob-
jections must have been stated to the Surgeon-Gene.
;al; I have nothing to do with that.
Were you ever consulted upon the probable conse
quences of retaining the Island of Walcheren after the
accounts arrived of the increasing sickness ?—I never
was.

Do you happen to have understood that Govern-
ment had authorized the Surgeon-General to consi-
der that question, of the expediency of giving an in-
creased pay to Hospital Mates, with a view of pro-
curing a larger number ?—I never heard of that;
the Surgeon-General can answer that question better.
Was any report made to you officially in the capa-
city of Physician-General, or to your department, of
the number of casualties which took place in this
Islands of the Scheldt, from the sailing of the Expos
dition till its return ?—Constantly, from the Inspector.
Was any report made of the total number of ca-
sualties ?—A report was made weekly.
What was the aggregate number ?—The deaths
amounted to upwards of 1,800 in Walcheren to the
middle of November.
Did that include those killed in action ?—The
number of 1,800 included those killed in action.
What was the amount of those killed in actioa ?
Without referring to .my documents, .I cannot possi-
bly answer that question.
What number of those sent home s:ck, died in the
hospitals here or elsewhere ?—Between thirteen and
fourteen hundred.
How long do you apprehend it will be before those
who have been, infected with the disorder in question
will be fit for service ?—lf the care is taken of them
which is intended to be taken, they will be all fit for
service again is May.
Then I am to understand, it is net the nature of
the Walcheren disorder to have frequent returns on
the patient ?—Directly the reverse ; I meant to say,
and do say, that they will have frequent relapses, but
probably will recover by May.
After the end of May, you think they will be safe
from any return of the Walcheren disorder ?—lf they
have no relapse from this time to May, I should ap-
prehend they will be fit for service by the end of May.
Supposing :hey should have had a return between
this time and May ?—Then it is impossible to say
when they will recover.
Are they not, generally speaking, liable to relapses
between this and May ?—ln all probability they will
be liable continually to relapses between this and May.
Then those who shall have had a relapse, will not
be eared by the end of May so as to be fit for ser-
vice ?—lt is impossible to answer that question ; it
i. a nicre matter of opinion ; they may or may not be.
'sked - medical man, whether that is
disorder ?—The general
we relapses ; and if re-

i

the time will be pro-

the Committee to under-
'y the end of May is fit
the field ?—if he has no
id of May, I think those
rice by the end of May.
have any relapse, the
service is uncertain ?

the 1,800 mentioned,
extent of the loss, either by
- diseases contracted in
no means, because
of December, and those
into the account; the
ibers, and of 1,300 and

Bth of November.
that have died since the
deaths are attributable to
of Walcheren ?—Not
its, which I have not by
them.
?—I cannot state them
any near sum ; I cannot
:urns.
you were perfectly ac-
the Walcheren fever by
Pringle ; in your opi-
peculiarly worse than
near the sea in that lati-

land of Foulneu opposite
marsh fever is
.greater in
place I am acquainted with,

the army hi
you, would
precautions p--

soldiers from Walcheren
service, in consequence of
• am not able to state

i. a mere matter of opinion ; the
• You are asked as a medical
net the general nature of the di:
nature of the disorder is to have
lapses to a considerable degree,
tracted for a perfect recovery.
By a perfect recovery, are the
stand that a soldier recovered b:
for active foreign service in the
relapse between this and the end
men will be perfectly fit fur servi
Then supposing they should
tune when they will be fit for se
Perfectly uncertain.
Do you mean to say, that t
and the 1,300 is the whole exten
the casualties of the field, or d
the Island of Waicheren ?-13)
many have died in the month of
numbers are nqt yet taken int
amount of 1,800 and odd numb
odd numbers, go only to the 18t
Can you trite the numbers tl
18th of November, whose deat
diseases caught in the Island
ithout referring to documents,
me, but I could easily refer to
Can you state them nearly ?.
nearly, fur I do not know to at
state them with any sort of gue
You have mentioned, that y
quainted with the nature of chi
communications with Sir John
nion is the nature of that fever
it would be in any low land ne
tude ; for :nstance the low lan
in Essex believe the mars
Walcherenthanany ether place
except Batavia in' the East,
Can you state kow many so
are now disqualified from sera
the disease contracted there
that.
In case the destittaticat of th
dentially communicated to yo
viscd ettraordinary precautio