Page:A History of the Indian Medical Service, 1600-1913 Vol 1.djvu/29

THE FIRST BEGINNINGS 3 2ol. sterling to John Gammond, Surgeon of the Susan.

The names of a few other Surgeons on board the Company's early ships have been preserved, chiefly by notices recording their deaths.*

In Oct., 1607, Mr. Comber was entertained as Surgeon for the fourth voyage, and in Nov. George Sheather as Surgeon's Mate. The latter was found incompetent and discharged before starting. This shows that, from the first, the Company at least tried to provide competent medical officers. In Jan., 1607/08, f Lawrence Pegion was hired as Surgeon for the Ascension, at 33s. 4d. per month, and £iy to furnish his chest to sea, and Thomas Yonger as Surgeon's Mate at 20s. per month. On 22nd June, 1608, Anthony Marlowe, on board the Hector at Delisha, on the coast of Sokotra, writes to the Company : —

" The 19th present at mght, being never sick, died M'^' Blastock, our Master Surgeon, to our much discomfort."

In a list of casualties, the Surgeon's full name is given as Thomas Blastock. A letter to the Company from Edward Cocks at Bantam, dated 12th Jan., 1612/13, in a Ust of casualties in the fleet, gives the name of Edward Reeve, chirurgeon, died 24th March, 1611/12. On I2th July, 1613, Captain T. Best, at Achin, writes to Surat that Ralph Standish, Surgeon of the Osiander, is dead. Henry Pattison, writing to Bantam from the factory at Tecoo or Tiku, on the south-west coast of Sumatra, on 28th July, 1617, reports the death of Mr. Byll or Bell, master chirurgeon of the Unicorn.

Other names which occur in the records during the first twenty years are Thomas Wotton, Surgeon of the James, in 1614; Dr. Paiton in the Clove, in 1614; Samuel Bond in the Attendant, in 1614 ; George Power on the James, in July, 1617 ; Lawrence Welldo, in the Glohe, reports her arrival in Plymouth Sound on


 * Various entries in Sainsbury's Calendar, and in Letters received by the East W Foster'"^^**'^ " s«»'i'a«i!s in the East, edited by F. C. Danvers and

^ ^^^^ ^752 the year began on 25th March, and all days from ist fan

to 24th March were counted as belonging to the previous year. In Sept 17^2 eleven days were omitted, thus assimilating English dates to those used on the continent and from ist Jan., 1752. the year was considered to begin on that day