Except for a little rain in the morning this was a better day. Colder, some snow on hills again. Went down + saw Geo. Niven early + arranged his removal to Asylum1. Had operation with D. [Dr David Graham, co-partner] on And. Cowan, Dryden which took till 12. Called at Firs + saw Smith about secretaryship of Red X Comttee which he said he would carry on if I got nobody but I got Minnie Brown2. Attended Mrs C McKearney, Backrow, who had an illegit. son3. Helen busy at drawing room.
1 See diary entry for 5 December 1919; George Begbie Niven (about 1847-1920), powerloom tuner and husband of Mary Marshall, born Alva, Clackmannanshire and at different times living at Muiravonside and Irvine, by 1911 he and his family were at Mavisbank, Selkirk; he died 2 June 1920 at the District Asylum, Melrose, aged 73, and had been suffering from Hemiplegia
2 Minnie Mackay Brown (1874-1966), a teacher before the war when she left for Egypt September 1915 as part of the Selkirk Voluntary Aid Detachment of the British Red Cross Society and served until 29 May 1919
3 William Bathgate or McKearney, born 6 December 1919 at Back Row, Selkirk, his mother was Margaret Bathgate, hosiery millworker and widow of Charles McKearney, woollen millworker, who had died 3 February 1908 at Galashiels; in a humane (albeit from 1975) Register of Corrected Entries (R.C.E.) William’s name has been accepted as William McKearney and at his mother’s name in column 4 “Margaret Bathgate or McKearney” has been inserted
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
