Observations on the Fifth Report of the Commissioners of Military Enquiry. And more particularly on those parts of it which relate to the Surgeon General [i.e. T. Keate] / [Thomas Keate].

  • Thomas Keate
Date:
1808
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the Fifth Report of the Commissioners of Military Enquiry. And more particularly on those parts of it which relate to the Surgeon General [i.e. T. Keate] / [Thomas Keate]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    mouth, Ifle of Wight, and other places for the reception of fick from Ire* land, the Welt Indies, the expedition to Quiberon, and from other parts of the world, when they were unprovided with buildings, medicines, bed- ding, utenfils, &c. for their accommodation, and were befides embaralfed and often counteracted by another authority, (Sir Jerome Fitzpatrick,) acting independently of the board. Confiderable armaments, fuch as thofe deltined for Flanders, under the command of His Royal High* nefs the Duke of York and the Earl of Moira, for Toulon, Corfica, Minorca, Portugal, for the Weft Indies under Sir Charles Grey, Sir Adam Williamfon, and afterwards Sir Ralph Abercomby, for the Cape of Good Hope, the coall of France, &c. were to be provided with fufficient and fit medical officers, together with the requifite quantities of medicines and ftores, while the general hofpital fyllem was new, and the regulations for them not matured, the fubordinate officers not very competent at firlt to the cor- rect performance of their duties, and the means of afeertaining the aCtuai charges and expenditure yet imperfeCt. Befides the calls of thefe foreign fervices, the very great augmentation of our military force at home during the above period, by requiring numer- ous medical officers, and large fupplies of hofpital neceffaries, as well as many reforms in the Medical Department, added infinitely to their labours; and of thofe labours it is well known, that the chief burthen and refponfi- bility were thrown on myfelf. The inadequate affillance alone which was granted to me, will, therefore, I trull, obtain fome allowance with every candid mind, for thofe imperfections and omiffions, if any fuch fhall be. found, which may not be fatisfaCtorily explained in the following pages ; and I indulge the hope, that the documents given in fupport of thofe expla- nations, will prove that I have not been deficient either in zeal for, or ap* plication to, the public fervice. ARTICLE III. Page 9, of Report. “ Although, in the prefent divifionof the duties of the principals of the “ department, we may admit the expediency of diltinCl affillance in the “ office to the Surgeon General and InfpeCtor General, yet we cannot ap- “ prove of their employing thofe who, receiving the full pay and allowances “ of another office, do not execute thofe duties for which that pay and “ thofe allowances were given. It might be necefiary, perhaps, as the Sur- “ geon General Hates, that one acquainted with profeffional duties ffiould 7 “ aCt
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