Appointment of Surgeons
Among its many self imposed duties the Church
undertook the care of the sick and appointed the
parish doctor. The following Extracts occur in the
Church Account Book.
April 13. 1808. At a Vestry Meeting held this day
in the Church it is agreed that Mr. Smith's and
Mr. Daniel's bills be inspected by a competent
surgeon, the patient being a pauper.
"The latest tender of the Surgeons is to have
the sum of Ten Guineas if he chooses to accept it
in that price, otherwise there shall be no surgeon
paid with a salary".
The sequel to this decision appears under date May
4, 1809 when Mr. Robert Daniell was appointed to
attend the Poor of the Parish for the sum of ten
guineas without any exceptions of diseases, scald
heads, amputations, fractured skulls, or any other
thing whatsoever. (Probably exceptional cases cost
more than the general).
These arguments however did not influence the
voters. Eight accepted the surgeons terms and
twenty one rejected their proposals. Accordingly
Mr. W. Nicholls of Manaccan was appointed at a
salary of 14 guineas to provide all medicines.
The inconvenience of this arrangement was soon
felt. When Robert Boulden applied for medical
assistance Mr. Nicholas had to be sent for without
loss of time !
Two years later we find Mr. Robert Daniell again
appointed at a salary of eighteen pounds followed
by Mr. Henwood 1828 who in 1851 received twenty
pounds per annum.
Surgeons. From Old Church Account Book.
In 1810 Mr. Wm Smith was appointed to attend the
poor of the parish for 1 year for the sum of 10
guineas (all cases).
The following year Mr. Robert Daniell was given
the office for one year at a salary of twenty
guineas.
After this Mr. Henwood served alternately with Mr.
Daniell for the larger sum till 1822 when the
salary was reduced to 15 pounds per annum.
The answer of the Doctors to this peremptory
measure was given at the Lady Day Vestry Meeting.
They were willing to attend the Poor of the Parish
for a sum just and reasonable, but they objected to
attend all the abandoned women who might become
chargeable to the parish. They would alternately
provide medicine for those in St. Keverne who
received parish pay for the sum of £21.0s.0d.
(midwifery excepted). The population of St. Keverne
was 2600, the extent great, the number of the poor
receiving medical help was increasing.
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