Surgeon James Burns
? – 21 Dec 1823 [Malta]
Service Record
21 Jan 1808 Assistant Surgeon 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot.
Served in the Peninsular War.
10 Jan 1816 Surgeon 88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment.
25 June 1816 Placed on half-pay.
1 Nov 1819 Surgeon 4th Royal Veteran Battalion.
21 July 1821 Surgeon 18th (The Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot.
Malta Apr 1821 Arrived from England.
24 Nov 1821-May 1822 Became sick soon after his arrival and was absent from his regiment.
Malta 1822 In charge of his regiment from the time of his arrival in Malta, but soon afterwards fell sick.
Malta 2 Aug 1823. On sick leave due "to his constitution being entirely broken down". During his illness the regimental hospital was attended by assistant surgeon Davies Daniel Owen, hospital assistant Michele Galeani, and staff assistant surgeon Thomas Stobo.
In his Quarterly Report for 21 March to 20 June 1823, Inspector of Hospitals John Hennen considered the surgeon's health to be so poor, that he thought it highly unlikely that Surgeon Burns would continue in the island throughout the summer. Burns was allowed to absent himself for the benefit of his health. He was still unfit for duty when he returned from his cruise. The PMO recommended him to return to England as his constitution appears to be entirely broken
.
Malta 21 Dec 1823 Died at Malta from debility.
Bibliography
- Entry No: 2812. William Johnston, Roll of Commissioned Offices in the Medical Service of the British Army, 20 June 1727-23 June 1898. (Aberdeen, University Press, 1917).
- TNA:WO 25/3899, Statement of the Home and Foreign Service of officers of the Medical Department (1790–1847).
- Hennen J. Quarterly summary report of diseases in the garrison of Malta from 21 Sept to 20 Dec 1823. Wellcome Institute RAMC 374.
- Hennen J. Quarterly summary report of diseases in the garrison of Malta from 21 Dec 1822 to 20 Mar 1823.