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.

514/594 (page 204)

$No. 15. Obeahism and myaliam are of Very rate cccnrrence in this parish. No. 16. I am unable to answer this qne.ition fnrlher tlion assertins^ my belief that the more ignorant of (ho peasantry consult in sickness tiiose -vho are cons-i* dered somewhat ex;perienced, but 1 believe the ad- ■vice is gratnitous. No. 17. I am not aware that there has been an oc* cnrrence of deleierioiis drugs having been administer- «d by ignorant persons for many years past. No, 18. 1 think that if the professional services of 41 sruiirient number of qrialihed medical men could be obtaiiicd, that woidd be the most likeiv means of ']>veventing resort to quacks> No. 19. I believe the negro women invariably ob- tRin the services of tlderiy women, who act as mi({- ■^.v.ivcs, and ti^at the instances of nnskilfiil treatment 'luiv'ijg- resijlted in injury to the child or mother, to be Ci rare ocnrrence. No 20. I hnve never heard of a case of infanticide happening in Uiis pari^^h. No, 2i. i liave before stated the reluctance on tlie ]Xirt ot the great majority of the ])eople to pay iov medical advice, and ;is there are but very few families residing in this i^ivrish, t here is truly little encouiage- inentiW mcilicnl meri 1o con^e and practice in it. \n so small a parish, aiMl viewing the disadvantages just slated, -?^iMc than one medical practitionei' would not certainly succeed, but r.udoubtedl;y tlvere t?houlcl be Kome Jegi.^lative provjsion to secure the presence and services of one Uieihcal man in this parish, and if he prove duly, qualified and be abstemious and mode- rale ui expectaiion>, luvco-u'd find here a fair siiare of cm pi ay nw^it, producing a competent living, arising iVorn private practice and the parociiial appointments, No.'22.' I ffoiisider that'a small tax, imposed for the pwrposcs of providing mcilical aid, would be willingly l^aici by tiie inhabiiants generally, provided some re*$