Document: Petition of surgeon Hendricksen that a hospital may be established for sick soldiers and slaves

[several lines lost] chirurgijn of the honorable Company [ ] by daily experience [ ] that several ill and infirm soldiers, lodged with various people in order to receive aid and necessary care in their illness, as well as the honorable Company’s Negroes, who when they are ill are not at all provided with the necessary care; that he, petitioner, to his regret notices that there [ are ] soldiers [ who ] in their illness [ perish ] because of cold and discomfort, and the filth of some people who lodge the poor sick soldiers at their house, and let them perish with stench, uncleanliness, cold, and discomfort. As a result hereof the medicines which he, petitioner, applies to the sick soldiers and Negroes cannot have any effect, so that in such circumstances some evidently died in misery, and it is to be feared that more will die, which moved him, petitioner, out of Christian compassion to inform your honors hereof, so that your honors with regard to this may order [ to establish ] a certain place where the sick soldiers and Negroes [ can be placed ] with a faithful person to be appointed by your honors, who [ will provide ] the soldiers and Negroes with aid and necessary care [several lines lost] (:lower [stood:) subservient [ ]

Jacob Hendricksen [ ]

Rights: This translation is provided for education and research purposes, courtesy of the  New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, Mutual Cultural Heritage Project. Rights may be reserved. Responsibility for securing permissions to distribute, publish, reproduce or other use rest with the user. For additional information see our Copyright and Use Statement Source: New York State Archives. New Netherland. Council. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809. Volume 8.