NRS-975 | Copies of letters to the Health Officers

Full description

Copies of letters principally relating to quarantine and from 1846 also to vaccination. There are only a few letters in the years 1842-45. The Health Officer was required to inspect on its arrival in port, every vessel not engaged in the coastal trade or coming from Van Diemen's Land and submit a questionnaire to their masters. He had also to keep himself acquainted with the health of crews of ships in port but not in quarantine and make an annual report of his activities.

He was also responsible for the medical care of emigrants in the Government Buildings in Bent Street when they were no longer cared for by the surgeon of the ship by which they came to the colony.

From December 1846 the Health Officer was responsible for the vaccination of persons in Sydney and the arrangement of vaccinations in various parts of the Colony. For other letters re quarantine see NRS 997.

No quarantine restrictions had been applied to New South Wales before a Quarantine Act was passed by the Legislative Council in 1832. The measures adopted by this Act proved inadequate because of the growth of overseas commerce and the consequent increased danger of introducing infectious diseases to the colony. Gipps therefore appointed John Dobie, a naval surgeon, to the newly created office of Health Officer in January 1839. This letter book contains the detailed instructions to Dobie under which he and his successors, A. Savage (November 1839) and H.G. Alleyne (July 1852), worked. In December 1846 detailed instructions were issued to the Health Officer re the new vaccination centre. Health Officers were also appointed at Newcastle and Moreton Bay in 1851, and detailed instructions were given for their guidance. Administration of the Health Officer's establishment was transferred to the Colonial Treasurer in October 1859 and the volume ends with instructions for future correspondence and reports to be addressed to that minister.

(4/3735; microfilm copy SR Reel 2861). 1 vol.

Note:
This description is based on Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.