G—No. 8.

REPORT OE COMMISSIONERS UPON MATTERS

20

paid my expenses. The man who had scabs on his face when we went on board recovered. My wife is now slightly pock-marked, as the result of her illness. On the occasion of the visit of Dr. Leigh, forty-eight hours before the death of Alex. Burness, in 8" the captain's presence, the doctor asked Mrs. Burness what she was crying for ; he said " the child, has nothing the matter with it—put the kid into the bunk;" the captain reproved the doctor. Mrs. Burness's infant was at once put in charge of a nurse, by the captain's order, on the occasion of Mrs. Burness breaking her arm. I was asked by Dr. Leigh to allow him to lance my child's gums, and I refused, because the teeth were already through ; he asked me again next morning, and, representing that the child might take fits, I allowed him to do it; the rash had then been out two days on the child. He did not come every day during the first part of the sickness while the eruption was coming out. Additional reasons besides the one stated for my not having confidence in the doctor were, on account of his treatment of Burness's children and my own wife. One day my wife asked him for some castor oil, and he told her there was none on board ship ; this was in the early part of the voyage. I never called on the doctor to attend me or my family during the voyage. Ciiaeles Batt, being sworn, saith as follows: — lam chief officer of the " England." I have a mate's certificate. This is my second voyage in the ship. I rejoined the ship about three days before she left on this voyage. She had about half her cargo in ; the emigrants were on board. I remember an inspection being made of the ship in the East India Docks; inspection was made from time to time while she was being fitted up. I remember Inspectors suggesting alteration in the ventilation of that part of the poop allotted to single girls. I remember an inspection of the ship at Gravesend. I took part in the inspection, in the absence of the captain. Dr. Featherston was one of the inspectors and two others. Cannot say one. was a medical man. They came on board about 3 o'clock. I refer to the ship's log for this and other dates. I have kept this log during the voyage in my own handwriting; the entries are made daily. The survey occupied two hours ; they first inspected the galley, then the fittings for the emigrants 'tween decks, both fore and aft; they suggested no alterations. They then examined the boats, then the passengers. They called each family separately on the poop ; none of them was found to be sick at that time. They had a list, and I saw them mark them off as they were called; no one was omitted from the examination, to my knowledge. If any of the sailors had been sent to get up any one from below I would have known of it. I know Erick'sen, one of the foreign emigrants. I. must have seen him at the beginning of the voyage, but do not recollect anything as to his appearance at that time. He was ill. I believe I saw a rash on him after we got to sea. There may have been a rash on him at the time of inspection, but I did not notice it then. I was very frequently between decks ; the emigrants kept their quarters very dirty at first; this was due to sea-sickness, I believe. I had charge of the sanitary arrangements; the 'tween decks was cleaned every morning — scraping, dry-scrubbing, and washing as often as weather permitted. Chloride of lime was used for disinfecting whenever it was required; it was used three or four times a day after we had disease; this was all done by direction of the master. The same arrangements were carried out in the forward department. Bough sketch of ship produced to me, marked B, is correct. On 27th December two or three cases of measles were reported to me. Made no difference in our arrangements except in the freer use of disinfectants. If small-pox had been reported to me, it would have made a difference in our arrangements. Did not think it anything unusual until I saw one or two deaths. Never saw measles or small-pox before. There was an unpleasant smell 'tween decks, but cannot say where it came from ; did all we could to prevent it. It was not bilge water, it was a close smell. I think there was plenty of ventilation, the main hatch being off so soon as weather permitted. Consider there was sufficient light. The hospital was occupied with stores ;it was a serving-out room. The sick were not put in the hospital; Ido not know the reason why. It would be the doctor's duty to order the sick into hospital. The official log, marked A, I identify as the ship's log. It has been in my charge during the voyage. Events are entered in it as they occur. I remember the married woman that died first. She occupied midship bunk on port side by main hatch. She was the wife of Ericksen, before referred to. After she was taken ill, one of the bunks was taken down, so as to allow her to have more room. I understood she died of measles; I had this from the doctor. I thought it was different from what the children had, but that it was measles of a more virulent form. She was buried at once, her bedding was hove overboard, and the place thoroughly cleaned. Ido not see that, had we known it was small-pox, anything further could have been done in the way of cleaning and disinfecting; but some steps might have been taken to separate the sick from those who were well. At a subsequent date, something was done in separating the girls, who were put in the long-boat. This was done because it was believed the disease was spreading. I never heard it referred to as small-pox by the interpreter or any one else. The first I heard of it being small-pox was after we got into port. It spread among the cabin passengers, and also among the men in the forecabin. It appeared forward about the Bth of February. The sailmaker and the storekeeper were the only ones that had to do with the people who died after: they were both 'ill. Cannot say if the sailmaker had the same complaint; he had no eruption. Parkinson was tho first to have it among the men forward, about a week or ten days before the others. I know no special cause whereby he got the infection. Do not remember any complaints being made to me about the doctor by the passengers ; they would have been made to the master. I remember the complaint made against the doctor, of which I made an entry in the official log marked A. I made my rounds generally about 9 o'clock. The doctor made no stated rounds so far as I know. The existence of sickness was well known to all on board. I speak about the time of the death of Maria Olson. I made one previous voyage with passengers to this port. I think that on this voyage the emigrants had enough space, also'sufficient ventilation, and no overcrowding. On the occasion of the previous voyage, we had more passengers, but fewer children. The fittings and general arrangements were the same. There was no sickness. We had Scandinavians on board. The only death was a case of water on the head. On that voyage, we used the same means for cleaning and disinfecting the ship as on this voyage. We had finer weather this last voyage, which was the shorter passage by twelve or fifteen days. '

By request of Captain Harrinj ton.

At Dr. Leigh's request.

By Commissioners.