Citation
Convict Health & Diet at Port Arthur & Tasman Peninsula, MacFie & Bonet, Port Arthur Conservation Project (49 pp), 1985
Outline
This paper was prepared as a result of the 1985 Summer Volunteer Programme conducted by the Port Arthur Conservation Project. This report discusses illnesses prevalent during the period 1831 to 1844 in particular, and their correlation with diet, climate, work and punishment. There is additional emphasises on the nutritional value of the convict diet of 1836, and the “new” diet prescribed in May 1867. The former diet coincides with the youthful early convict period, and the latter with the increasingly geriatric nature of the penal settlement at Port Arthur.
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Contents
Summary
Introduction
Equipment and Medical Supplies
Diet
Diseases Prevalent 1830-45
Medical Officers
Food, Favouritism and Black markets
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
The Last Years of Port Arthur
The Model Prison; and Insane Device
Lunatic Asylum
Bibliography
List of Appendices
Appendix 1 – Letter from Commandant
Appendix 2 – Medical Returns By Year – Diseases and Deaths
Appendix 3 – Disease Prevalence
Appendix 4 – rations
Appendix 5 – Boys’ Rations at Point Puer
Appendix 6 – Deaths at Port Arthur
Appendix 7 – Adequacy of Diets
Appendix 8 – The Doctors
Appendix 9 – Dining at Pentridge
Index
Index
abrasio………………………………………. 28, 32
abrasions…………………………………… 12, 32
abscefsus……………………………………. 28, 32
abscess……………………………………………. 32
abscesses……………………………………. 12, 32
ambustio……………………………………. 28, 40
amputatio……………………………………….. 28
anasarca…………………………………………. 28
aneurisma……………………………………….. 28
apoplex…………………………………………… 38
apoplexia………………………………………… 28
apoplexy…………………………………………. 39
apthoe……………………………………….. 28, 40
Arthur, George (Lt Gov)…………………….. 8
ascarides…………………………………………. 28
asthma……………………………………………. 28
Backhouse, James…………………………. 8, 12
bacon……………………………………………….. 9
barley……………………………………………….. 9
beef
salt…………………………………………. 11, 37
Benson, Dr William…………………….. 14, 41
Binny, John……………………………………… 21
black-market…………………………………… 17
Blyth, Dr Robert………………………………. 41
Booth, Charles O’Hara……………….. 14, 19
Boyd, AH………………………………….. 20, 21
bread…………. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 35, 36, 43
bread and water………………………. 4, 8, 36
Brock, Dr Frederick George. 14, 15, 16, 41
bronchitis…………………………………… 28, 38
chronic…………………………………… 38, 39
Brown, Joseph……………………………… 6, 23
Brownell, Dr Thomas Coke……. 14, 15, 41
bun…………………………………………………. 43
Burns, David…………………………………… 10
Burrows, Samuel……………………………… 12
butter………………………………………….. 9, 43
Button, Dr ?…………………………………….. 21
cabbage………………………………….. 9, 11, 43
carditis……………………………………………. 28
caries………………………………………………. 28
carrots………………………………………………. 9
Cascades…………………………………………. 23
Cascades Probation Station…………. 14, 15
Casey, Dr Cornelius Gavin………………. 41
Casey, Dr Gavin……………………………… 14
Casey, Lord ?………………………………….. 41
Cash, Martin……………… 11, 13, 15, 16, 17
catarrh
chronic………………………………………… 38
catarrhus………………………… 28, 32, 38, 39
cerebritis……………………………………. 28, 32
cheese…………………………………………. 9, 10
cholera……………………………………………. 28
Clarke, Marcus…………………………… 21, 23
Coal Mines………………… 14, 16, 17, 19, 42
colds……………………………….. 12, 13, 26, 32
colic…………………………………………… 12, 32
colica…………………………………………. 28, 32
Constantine, CHT……………………………… 6
Constantini, CHT……………………………. 41
constipation……………………………….. 12, 33
consumption………………………… 21, 38, 39
contusio………………………………………….. 28
contusions………………………………………. 12
Courtenay, George……………………… 15, 16
Coverdale, Dr ?……………………………….. 23
Coverdale, Dr John………………………….. 42
cynanche…………………………………… 28, 40
cystitis…………………………………………….. 28
deaths……….. 10, 12, 14, 26, 27, 34, 38, 39
debilitas…………………………………….. 28, 40
debility……………………………… 9, 12, 38, 39
Dent, John………………………………………. 19
dentito……………………………………………. 28
Dermer, Dr William…………………………. 41
Derricourt, W…………………………….. 16, 17
diarrhoea…………………………………… 12, 28
Dinham, Dr George Joseph………………. 41
Dinham, Dr J……………………………… 20, 21
dislocations……………………………………… 12
dropsy……………………………………….. 38, 39
drunkeness……………………………………… 21
dysenteria………………………………….. 27, 28
dysentery……………….. 8, 12, 26, 27, 38, 39
dysentria…………………………. See dysentery
dyspepsia………………………… 12, 28, 38, 39
dysuria……………………………………………. 28
Eckford, Dr James………………………. 15, 41
eggs…………………………………………….. 9, 43
empyema………………………………………… 28
enteritis……………………………………… 28, 32
epilepsia………………………………………….. 29
epistaxis………………………………………….. 29
eruptio……………………………………………. 29
erysipelas………………………………………… 29
Everett, Dr George……………………… 16, 41
Ewing, Dr Robert…………………………….. 42
febis…………………………………………… 29, 40
febris………………………………………………. 40
fever……………………………………………….. 40
fish…………………………………………………. 11
fishing…………………………………………. 8, 20
fistula……………………………………………… 29
Flinders Bay Probation Station………….. 42
flour………………………. 8, 17, 18, 35, 36, 37
Foster, ?………………………………………….. 21
fracture…………………………………………… 29
Franklin, Sir John (Lt Gov)……………….. 14
fruit……………………………………….. 9, 17, 33
furunculus………………………………………. 29
gardening…………………………………………. 8
gastritis…………………………………………… 29
gastrodynia…………………………………….. 29
gastro-enteritis………………………………… 29
Gibbons, Peter…………………………………. 20
gonorrhoea………………………………… 19, 29
Graham, Dr ?………………………………….. 12
Graham, Dr H…………………………………. 41
gruel………………………………………. 8, 35, 36
haemorrhoids………………………………….. 32
hallucinations………………………………….. 21
Harington, Priscilla (Mrs HT)…………….. 6
Harrington, Dr Henry Turner………….. 41
Harrington, HT…………………………………. 6
headache…………………………………….. 9, 32
headaches………………………………….. 12, 33
heart disease………………………………. 38, 39
hepatalgia……………………………………….. 29
hepatitis………………………………………….. 29
hernia…………………………………………….. 29
herpes…………………………………………….. 29
hoemoptysis……………………………………. 29
hoemorrhois…………………………. 29, 32, 40
homosexuality…………………………………. 19
Horne, Benjamin……………………………… 10
Huish, Dr H……………………………………. 15
Huston, Dr G………………………………….. 15
hydrocele………………………………………… 29
icterus…………………………………………….. 29
ileus………………………………………………… 29
impetigo………………………………………….. 29
Impression Bay 14, 15, 41, See Premaydena
influenza………………………….. 4, 13, 32, 33
insanitas…………………………………………. 29
insanity…………………………………………… 23
ischuria…………………………………………… 29
jaundice…………………………………….. 38, 39
Jeffries, Mark…………………………………… 17
kangaroo………………………………………… 11
kangaroos……………………………………….. 17
lacerations…………………………………… 6, 15
laryngitis…………………………………………. 29
leeks…………………………………………………. 9
legumes…………………………………………….. 9
macaroni………………………………………… 43
MacBraire, Dr John………………………….. 41
Mahon, ? (Commander)…………………….. 8
malingering………………………….. 15, 16, 34
malnutrition……………………………………. 40
Maria Island……………………………………. 15
Mayhew, Henry………………………………. 21
McCarthy, Dr Eugene…………… 20, 21, 41
McDonald, Dr ?………………………………. 16
meat
cold……………………………………………… 43
fresh……………………………… 9, 35, 36, 37
salt…………………………………………. 18, 35
medical dressings………………………………. 6
meningitis……………………………………….. 32
military
63rd Regiment……………………………… 14
milk…………………………………………….. 9, 43
Mitchell, John………………………………….. 13
molasses……………………………………………. 9
Muir, George…………………………………….. 6
Muir, Priscilla See Harrington, Priscilla (Mrs HT)
mutton
salt………………………………………………. 11
nephritis…………………………………………. 29
neuralgia………………………………………… 29
neutito……………………………………………. 40
New Norfolk……………………………… 16, 21
norbus cords……………………………………. 29
Norfolk Island…………………………………. 16
Oatlands…………………………………………. 20
oatmeal……………………………………….. 9, 37
obstipatio…………………………………… 29, 33
odontalgia…………………………………. 29, 33
oedema…………………………………………… 29
ophthalmia……………………………………… 33
opthalmia………………………………….. 29, 34
otitis……………………………………………….. 29
pain relief…………………………………………. 6
Paine, ?…………………………………………….. 6
palpitatio………………………………………… 30
paralysis………………………………. 29, 38, 39
Parkhurst Prison……………………………… 10
paronychia…………………………… 12, 30, 33
partus……………………………………….. 30, 40
pea meal…………………………………………… 9
peas……………………………………….. 9, 37, 43
pedicute………………………………………….. 30
Pentonville……………………………………… 21
Pentridge………………………………………… 43
pericarditis……………………………………… 30
peritonitis……………………………………….. 30
pernio…………………………………………….. 30
phlegm……………………………………………. 33
phlegmon………………………………….. 30, 33
phrenitis…………………………………………. 30
phthisis………………………………… 30, 38, 39
phymosis………………………………………… 30
plethora………………………………………….. 30
pleuritis…………………………………………… 30
pluerodynia…………………………………….. 30
pneumonia……………………………………… 30
Point Puer………………. 4, 10, 13, 14, 26, 37
pork
salt………………………………………………. 37
pork
salt…………………………………………. 11, 35
porridge………………………………………….. 43
potatoes…………………… 8, 9, 18, 35, 36, 43
Premaydena),………………………………….. 17
Pt. Puer…………………………………………… 19
Pugh, Dr William Russ…………………….. 14
pulmonary diseases…………………………… 8
pumpkin…………………………………………. 43
punishment………………………….. 20, 33, 36
punitas………………………………………. 30, 33
Quigley’s Cage………………………………… 23
rainfall………………………………………. 12, 13
rheumatism…………………….. 12, 13, 21, 33
rheumatismus……………………………. 30, 33
Ross, James……………………………………… 10
Royal Engineers………………………………. 14
rubeola……………………………………………. 30
rum………………………………………………… 17
Russel, Dr John……………………………….. 41
Russell, John……………………………………. 14
salt……………………………………………. 36, 37
salt beef…………………………………………….. 8
salt meat……………………………………….. 8, 9
salt pork………………………………………… 6, 8
Saltwater River…………………….. 14, 16, 41
sanitation………………………………………… 12
scabies…………………………………………….. 30
scorbutus………… 26, 27, 30, 33, See scurvy
Scott, Dr James………………………………… 15
scurvy……………………… 8, 9, 12, 32, 33, 40
Seccombe, Dr William………………… 15, 41
sexually transmitted diseases……………. 19
ships
Orator………………………………………….. 20
Pensongee Bomongee………………………. 20
Royal George…………………………………. 19
William Bensley……………………………….. 6
skilly………………………………………. 8, 11, 13
skin rashes………………………………………… 9
slow healing,…………………………………….. 9
soap………………………………………….. 36, 37
soup……………………………….. 11, 17, 35, 43
spaghetti…………………………………………. 43
strictura………………………………………….. 30
struma……………………………………………. 30
sublaxio………………………………………….. 30
sugar……………………… 8, 17, 35, 37, 40, 43
Syme, J……………………………………………. 17
tea………………………………. 8, 17, 35, 40, 43
testitis……………………………………………… 30
Thomson, Dr Philip………………. 32, 34, 40
tobacco…………………………………………… 17
toothache………………………………………… 33
Trollope, Anthony…………………………… 23
tumor……………………………………………… 30
turnips………………………………………… 9, 11
ulcers…………………………………… 12, 33, 40
ulcus…………………………………………. 30, 33
urticaria………………………………………….. 30
varix………………………………………………. 30
vegetables………………. 8, 26, 33, 35, 36, 37
vermes………………………………………. 30, 33
vertigo………………………………………. 30, 34
vinegar………………………………… 35, 36, 37
vulnus……………………………………….. 30, 34
weather………………………………………….. 13
Wedge Bay……………………………………… 19
wet clothing………………………………. 12, 13
wheat……………………………………………….. 9
Woolley, William……………………………… 20
worms…………………………………………….. 33
wounds………………………………….. 6, 12, 34