| Description | Letter book, 1811-1812. Many of the letters written by McGrigor refer to incorrect or late returns from the various hospital stations or clarify how he would like reports laid out and what information they should include. For example, see circular issued on the 4 March 1812 (page 241) and letter on page 307.
At the start of the volume there is an index and a table: '...State of Sick in General Hospital, Lisbon, October 10th 1810'. A total of 4,640 patients are recorded as being in hospital on this date.
1811
Castello Bom, 30 November
Letter written by Deputy Inspector Bolton enclosing proceedings of medical boards assessing officers from various regiments. Lists name and regiment of officer, recommended period of recuperation and place to which they were to be sent.
'Monthly return of the General Medical Staff of the Army serving in Portugal under the command of His Excellency General Lord Viscount Wellington from the 25th Oct to 24th Nov 1811'. The first entry records the departure of McGrigor's predecessor, Inspector of Hospitals J. Franck, from Lisbon to England. The current circumstances of the Deputy Inspectors of Hospitals Bolton, Hogg and Tegart is also listed as well as that of the physicians, surgeons, hospital mates and purveyors.
Many of the letters in the first part of the volume are written by Deputy Inspector Bolton and relate mainly to administrative matters and the provision of medical stores.
The first letter written by McGrigor appears on page 140 and is dated 21 February 1812. It is sent from Headquarters to Mr. Tegart, Deputy Inspector of Hospitals, Coimbra. In it he lists various instructions particularly regarding the content and frequency of returns relating to medical officers in his charge.
1812
Lisbon, 18 January (page 149)
Letter to the AMB in which McGrigor forwards return of the state of the Purveying Department of the Army. 'I have a made a minute inspection of the state of the stores and Purveyor's department which I find in a state very creditable to Purveyor Gunson. Extended as that Department is, I think he requires additional assistance...I am sorry that I am not enabled to report in the same favourable terms of the state of the department of the Apothecary in this country. I will use my utmost exertions to establish some system, and check in the expenditure. At present I have only to request that an able and proper person be sent out to act as Chief Apothecary to this Army'.
Lisbon, 26 January (pages 149-151)
Letter to AMB reporting generally favourable inspection of hospitals including the Estrella General Hospital, the St. Francisco General Hospital and the Ordnance Hospital at the St. Vincent Convent.
Castello Bom, 27 February (pages 188-189)
Letter to Gunson, Purveyor, requesting him to send stores for 500 sick at Santarem (likely to increase), 560 at Alto de Chao, 800 at Abrantes, 1,000 at Estremos, 400 at Elvas and 100 'in advance with [Hospital] Marquees'. Notes that Wellington wants Celerico to be 'fitted up completely for 500 men, by the time he returns from the Alentejo...'. [Also see letter addressed to Mr. Hogg on page 189 regarding sending stores, noting that Santarem and Alto de Chao are to be stocked first.]
Castello Bom, 4 March (page 238)
Letter to Commissary General: 'In reference to the great and daily increasing difficulties experienced in moving the bodies of sick and wounded now on the road from Celerico to Coimbra, I am induced to request, the assistance of any waggons at [Galizes?] or on the road in aid of the [cases?].
Elvas, 17 March (page 290)
Letter in which McGrigor requests that the following articles be sent as soon as possible in readiness for the advance: 6 hospital marquees, a few bearers, some camp kettles, some tea, rice, [sage or sugar], wines and [comforts?], and some articles of medicine.
Elvas, 30 March (pages 341-342)
Letter to Dr. Gray at Estremos: 'As it is very probable the Hospitals at Estremos will be crowded, I am sure you will have recourse to all the precautions to prevent the spreading of Diseases which are so well known to yourself. I would beg leave to suggest more than usual attention should be paid by the Purveyor to the washing or rather scouring of the bedding and that he ought to take immediate steps to ensure this being done, as well as have ovens for the baking of bedding, bandages etc. I myself am particular to the _ remedy recommended of fumigating wards [where] cases of fever or foul ulcers are'. |