9, Fenchurch-buildings, 29 July 1839.
I have to acknowledge the receipt of the papers relating to the state of
the coolies on Bellevue estate, which I have read with attention.
In the absence of that further information which may be expected by the
next packet, I do not feel competent to form a decided opinion upon the
medical treatment of the patients; but I understand, from a gentleman who has
recently arrived from the colony, and who was there during the investigation
of the 9th March, that Dr. Nimmo complains of the evil effects of an order
issued by the late Governor, Sir J.C. Smith, declaring that, according to
the construction of the Abolition Act, neither the manager nor the medical
attendant on an estate were at liberty to confine the sick to the wards of
the hospital. The consequences of thsi are stated to be the absence of
everything like hospital regulations, and great difficulty in inducing the
sick to follow out any regular course of treatment, either in point of
medicine, food, or regimen; and, if this be so, I am glad to learn that the
poor people have been removed to the public hospital in George Town, where, I
presume, they will be subject to proper hospital regulations. I have learnt
farther, from the same gentleman, that the assault of which I regret to
find Dr. Nimmo guilty, arose from this state of things: I am told that, upon
visiting the estate, he met one of the patients to whose sores he had applied
a certain dressing. Upon examining him he found that not only had he left
the hospital in disregard of his advice, but he had removed the
medical dressing, and had applied one of his own. In his irritation Dr.
Nimmo, very improperly, no doubt, struck him a single blow with his riding
cane, and desired him to go back to the hospital, and have his wound
properly dressed.
With respect to the more serious assaults by the interpreter, I regret
both that this should have happened, and that the necessity for his services
should have saved the individual from part of the punishment awarded to him;
but I cannot omit to observe, with reference to the memorandum dated 14th
May 1839, and signed H.E.F. Young, that the declaration of the interpreter
there referred to was made by him in a private examination, when anxious
to bring forward everything that might extenuate his offence, and justify his
release from confinement; that he was wholly silent upon this point when
confronted with Mr. Russell on his trial; and that upon the trial his want
of veracity was proved by his denial of having confessed to Mr. Russell
that he had beaten the coolie. When I oppose to this declaration, so made
by the interpreter, the denial upon oath, by Mr. Russell, of his having ever
authorized him to beat the coolies, I cannot consider the interpreter entitled
to much credit.
With respect to any suspicion which may exist of want of care on the part
of the manager, it should not be forgotten that the extreme jealousy
exercised against everything like restraint or coercion of the people, by the
manager of an estate, would render it difficult, or rather impossible, for
him to enforce that cleanliness and early attention to the extraction of
the chigoes, which, if it had been adopted, would have prevented the bad
soress, with which so many of the coolies have been unhappily afflicted.
I take the liberty to enclose extracts from my letters to my agent,
containing the instructions which I have from time to time given regarding
the coolies. If you will be kind enough to take the trouble to read them,
I hope you will consider that I have not been deficient in taking
precautionary measures for their proper care and comfort; though I
sincerely lament the extent of the mortality and sickness, from whatever
causes they may prove, upon a minute and careful investigation, to have arisen.
I have, &c.
(signed) A. Colvile.