Page:A History of the Indian Medical Service, 1600-1913 Vol 1.djvu/116

90 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE 1720. On 22nd Sept., 1720, he resigned to go to Europe. John Bulkley was engaged as Factor for five years from 21st Aug., 1723, and became Junior Merchant on 9th Aug., 1728. He died on 29th April, 1732. On 30th May, 1747, Phihp Bulkley, perhaps of a third generation of the same family, was entertained as writer, in 1749 he received a commission as Ueutenant. and was killed at the siege of Conjeveram, as reported in a Letter to Court, dated 15th Feb., 1752.

Samuel Browne, Surgeon of the Dragon, was appointed Surgeon at Madras in the Cons, of 7th May, 1688.

" Doctor Heathfield being deceased and Doctor J^o Plummer gone home upon the Royall James, & the Hospitall being in great want of an able Chirurgeon, Doct^ Sam' Brown late Chirurgeon of the Dragon being reputed so, & desirous of the employ. It is order'd that he be entertain'd at the same sallary & allowance as his Predecessor Doct^ Heathfield had."

Four years later he was superseded by the appointment of Bulkley, on his return from Europe, as first Surgeon. In 1693 he apphed to rent six villages near Madras ; his request was refused on 7th Aug. On 28th Aug., 1693, he accidentally poisoned Mr. James Wheeler, Sea Customer and member of Council, and Chief Justice of the Choultry. The following account of this unfortu- nate occurrence is taken from the Cons, of 30th Aug., 1693. Bulkley's report of the post-mortem immediately follows the other entries.*

" Word being brought us while at Consultation on the 28*'' instant, that M"^ Wheeler was very sick, and soon after about 11 o'clock that he was dead, we went forthwith to his house, and appointed M"^ Mildmay and M'' Vander Anker to take account of the Right Honourable Companies books and papers which were in M"^ Wheeler's hands ; but on the way thither the following note was deUvered up into the hand of the President, viz.

" ' Hon'^ie Sir. I have murthered Wheeler by giving him Arsnick. Please to execute Justice on me the malefactor as I deserve.

" 'Your Honour's unfortunate obed* Servant, Sam" Browne.'

" Whereupon D"^ Browne after examination and his particular relation of the circumstances of his fatall mistake, was by warrant of the Judge Advocate committed, as allso his servant, who negUgently powdered Peajrl in a stone mortar wherein arsnick had been before beaten, the mixture whereof with the pearl is supposed to be the occasion of his Death ; and

to 31st January, 1693/94, except for the period ist to 26th June, 1693, are missing from the Fort St. George Factory Records. The papers are also quoted in J. Talboys Wheeler's Madras in the Olden Time, Vol. I, pp. 276-278.
 * Colin Mackenzie MSS., Vol. LVI. The Cons, from 15th October, 1690,