Duties of the Surgeon
The duties of the ship surgeon ranged from inspecting the Coolies before boarding (he had to sign a certificate that proved the coolie was healthy), to ensuring that there was efficient air circulation throughout the ship. The Instructions to Surgeons Superintendents of Government Emigration Ships (1866) lay out the extensive rules for how a surgeon should appropriately act and what came with the job. Another popular book of guidelines was Handbook for Surgeons Superintendent in the Coolie Emigration Service, by James M. Laing. Whether certain individuals actually followed these guidelines remains very unclear.
According to these instructions, not only were the surgeons responsible for maintaining the health of those on board, but also disciplining them when he saw fit.; this may be where the issues of too much power originated from. In the log of the Arima, one surgeon, Dr. Raheem, reportedly complained about an individual “kicking and pushing” a Coolie, as well as using “abusive language.” The surgeon would also inspect the “Cooking Apparatus” and also carry around a “Water Con-Distilling Apparatus” so that he was able to convert saltwater into something more “fresh.” Surgeons were required to keep a detailed journal and record of the voyage and patients as well as visit the decks at least two to three times a day to ensure cleanliness and preserve dryness (no laundry, washing, or anything that uses water was allowed on the decks).
