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57
Calomel and opium every hour and fomenting the eyes with a tepid decoction
of white poppy capsule. As surgeon to the Liverpoo l Dispensaris he had
found this treatment very successful . The next morning G. C. Scha,,· ca 11 eel
upon Hal l and denied that the man was without rations ,
stating that he had
not thought the case was too urgent as the man had always suffered with
sore eyes . In any case he intended to return the man to the Government
that day in the usual way . Hall argued that , according to the regulations ,
Schaw could not do th is wh ile the man was suffering from an acute disease,
especially as the so-called hospital was only a building unprovided with
any requirements for th e treatment of the sick .
that Schaw had returned the man to the Government ,
Later Hall was informed
and as he was not in the
watch-house , he could not be supp lied with rations .
Consequently Ha ll was
left with the sick man on his hands ,
supplying him with all the necessaries
of life from his own purse.
Perp lexed as to the correct procedure he
asked for official instructions on March 19 from Officer , who concurred in
his opinion of the Schaws '
actions and submitted the case for Frank lin's
consideration . As a result Schaw , though strongly excusing himself and
his son from any guilt , was firmly reprimanded by the Government ;
it was agreed, had acted ''with much feeling and kindness" . 11
This
Hall,
unfortunate incident served only to add more fuel to the fire of hosti lity
which the Assistant Police Mag istrate already entertained towards th e
Doctor .
That pernicious emotion was affecting other residents of Bothw el l
too , due sometimes to local causes , at others to factors affecting the
who le colony, especially the many changes taking place in the British
Government 's po licy on convicts . Many felt that the new Probation Syste
cold not succeed; they were concerned at the lack of free immigrants to
supp ly their demands for labour now that assignment was to cease ;
a:r.c thev
were outraged at what they considered unj ustifiab le insults poured upon
them over the ir treatment of assigned servants .
Article after article in
the press condemning the Probation System confirmed their own opinions .
Closer at hand and more disturbing was the hostility between the
Presbyterian and Ep iscopalian sects which had broken out into open confl ict .
For many years the two groups worked harmon ious ly together, the
Presbyterians under Garrett 's guidance ,
and the Epis copalians under the
Reverend Dr Drought , a visiting clergyman from Green Ponds ,
sharing th eir
services ln the small , stone chape l of St . Luke 's which had been opened
11 c.s.o. 5/235/5965 .