REPORT PRESENTED TO THE KING.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 10, 24 June 1843, Page 4

REPORT PRESENTED TO THE KING.

Paris, July 9, 1842. Department of Marine, and of the Colonies. ■•' I propose to your Majesty to decree a Gold Medal to the English Surgeon, Win. iWies." Sire,— Capt. Lavaud, commanding the corvette L'Aube, . on the New Zealand, station, has informed me, that, in the month of December last, while the Ante was at anchor in Port Jackson,- certain of the crew who wereon shore, were so unfortunate as to eat of the fruit Jadigenous to that country, the poisonous nature of which, speedily mariiiested itself ■by the most fearful symptoms. The Surgeon of the corvette, Mr. Stephen Louis Raoul, was then absent at some distance From Port Jackson, and the lecond Surgeon not being able by himself to attend to thesuffeiers, M. La'vaud appealed to the humanity of a Medical Man of the town, Dr. William Davies ; who with the utmost 'alacrity attended to his wishes, and gave the necessary scriptions for combating the effects of the poison. Thirteen men; were a prey to the most terrible cdnvulsions, one&f the party shortly fella victim to the -poison ; and the lives of the others were in great danger, when . Mr. Surgeon Raoul returned on board, and joining his exer lions to those ot Dr. Dayies, their united efforts arriested the further progress of the malady. l>r. Davies soon afterwards left to his coadjutor the achievement of a task; which, "even then, presented considerable difficulties. These difficulties, M°. Raoul succeeded ia overcoming : having passed twenty hours at the side of his patients. The twelve men, in short, whose lives weredispaired of, were saved.- This cure r'eflectsthe greateßt.honor on M. Raoul, as Dr. Davies himself was the first tb acknowledge, passing over in •siienjje, ihe part he had taken in it, by prescribing', ji&W commencing the remedies, of which M. Raoul .jrvaiKed'himself. Two days subsequent to this event, Capt. Lavaud vi-ited Dr. Davies, to inform him of the state of his patients, and. to. convey ta him the th»nks so justly clue. In the course of conversation, allusion was made by Capt.- Lavaud, to the fees for his attendance, but Dr. Davies immediately checked, the proposition, by saying :' " I should decline a fee, for services rendered on board a British Man of Wat, and I will not act differently ia^he case of a French ship." Conduct so noble, mast not be allowed to pass without some lasting testimonial of the gratitude and esteem of the Nation ; and it is on this score, that I have the honor to propose, to yom Majesty, to authorise .me to present, ia jour name, a Gold Msdal to the English Surgeon. For M . Jlaoul, who besides the zeal he manifested on the present occasion, has recommended himself to notice by long services, I should have solicited the • decoration of the Legion of Honour, had he not already obtained that well ,merited distinction. 1 request -therefore that your, Majesty will authorize my transmitting to this office the expression of your high ■ satisfaction. I am with profound respect* Sire, Your Mt-jbty's very obedient and very faithful servant, (Signed) DUPERRE. •Approved, (Signed) LOUIS PHILLIPPE. ißy the King, (Signed) Dtjperbs. Terified Copy, (Sjgned) Mohu. We have much pleasure in publishing the above • correspondence, which is alike creditable to the distinguished and Royal personage (who thus manifested that his ever active and intelligent mind is watching over, and alive to the inteiests of his subjects in all of the globe) and^to our Townsman, Dr< Davies» upoi whom, we are assured, such distinguished notice <wiil not be thrown stray, but, that he will thereby, be -encouraged still more id the exercise of that charity which peculiaray belongs to his profession ; &1 though, it top often meets with no 'other reward than that secret, but hap^jy feeling' which the gbou" man experiences in alleviating the sufferings of his felldwnen. Port Jaclisbh is mistaken for New Zealaiid, both in the correspondence, dha* inscription on the Medal. The Medal, which rs-of &dla, and very rich, «nd valuable, has oh its front, in French r '"Louis P'hillippe the first King df the French.'* On the* reverte i '•' "The Minister 6f the MdMne aird 6f fte Cblbniei, to Wjlliam Davies, ah Sflgliih Bdetor of Medicine at Peri JabXibij,. V&r tHSfgeritofeuk iid which he gave to sdme Fr'eiich Mariners'' 184 2:" <*M - 6 — , ''