Report by the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly.

Jamaica. Central Board of Health

Date:: 1852

Credit: Report by the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

500/594 (page 190)

$es having,' son;:^ht the assistance, wonid not be got ta (lisclojse the fact. If medical attendance and medi- cines were to be OiTered as a gratuity, I think the negroes wonld often take advantage of it, but if pay- ment is to be made for them, they wiii, it appears to me, prefer jxoing- to a quack, althongh tliis may not ])e done until the sickness lias continued for some time. No. 19. \ do not lliink that a^jsistance is souj^ht for from such quacks during- parturiiion, nor do I know of any instance where unskilful treatment has result- ed in injury to tlie mother. These patients are usu- ally attended by midwives, and they have not any knowledge of what they undertake beyoiid receiving the child afler a natural birih, and performing the simple operation which is reqinred at the tiuie.— Where injury arises to the patient, I am of opinion tiiat it occurs rather from ti^e oniission of (hat assistance which is required, and which the midwife is unable to give, than from commission. No. '20. The crime cf inlanticide is scarcely known in this parish. I have not heard of more than one case of it. No. 21. I have already expressed an opinion bear- ing reference to Ihi.'- query ; but 1 would repeat, that a legislative enactment, having for ils object the encou- ragement of medical gentlemen as exprei-sed in it, would, 1 dare say, be acceptable to tiie labouring classes, provided they be not called upon to contri^ bute towards tiie expences attendant on it; but 1 do notthinkthat the gentlemen w ho might be invited to reside here, would meet with such a share of employment as lo afibrd them the means of living, if they are to depend on the labouring classes. No. 22. In alluding generally to such an impost as is contained in this query, 1 would say that I do not think that it would be willingly paid. If, how- ever, a tax should be imposed, a capitation tax would be the fairest one I should thinks$