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Lowther Castle Ship's Medical Log

An description of the item at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Title: Lowther Castle Ship's Medical Log
Inclusive Dates: 1821-1822
Quantity: 1 volume (SC)
Abstract: Record of the sixth voyage of the ship Lowther Castle, registered in Great Britain, anchored at Bengal, Whampoa, and Panang. Lists 217 cases and treatments.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

The W.C.S. Lowther Castle was originally an East India Company clipper ship. It was named for Lowther Castle on the estate of the Lowther family (near Penrith in northern England), which held the earldom of Lonsdale since 1292.

According to Arthur H. Clark's The Clipper Ship Era (Kessinger Publishing, 2006), "During the years 1819 and 1820 the Company sent to their different stations in Bengal, Madras, Bombay, China, Ceylon, and Penang, twenty-three of their own ships aggregating 26,200 tons...Among the company's ships were...[t]he London, Lowther Castle, Marquis of Camden, and Perseverance." (p. 32). The ship is also one of four depicted in a painting by British artist William John Huggins entitled "East Indiamen in the China Seas," painted circa 1820-1830.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Lowther Castle Ship's Medical Log consists of one volume detailing a single voyage of the Lowther Castle to several destinations. The volume gives details and treatments for more than 200 cases during the voyage, including catarrh, dyspepsia, bilious derangement, fractured clavicle, and more. The physician's name is not given.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has several other 18th and 19th century ship's logs. Please search the Classic Catalog, for "ship's logs" for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Corporate Bodies

Lowther Castle (Ship)

Subjects

Medical care.
Medicine, Naval.

Genres and Forms

Ships' logs.

Occupations

Ship physicians.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Lowther Castle Ship's Medical Log,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Transfer from Kohen collection.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: [Summit record]
Date: 2001-01-01
Revision history: 3 Nov 2008 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

Ship's logs
SC 248 Lowther Castle Medical Log 1821-1822

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