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Surgeons
A surgeon's main functions were to care for the sick and injured along with performing operations and autopsies. Many Louisbourg surgeons engaged in other jobs as well, indicating that it was not the most profitable of occupations. There were military and civilian hospitals, and both of these had surgeons. The civilian hospital was inspected regularly by the military surgeons.
The "Surgeon Major" had two main functions; he cared for the soldiers and worked as
their local barber. The surgeon major would recommend if a soldier should be admitted into a hospital. Once in the hospital, the patient was under the sole care of the Brothers of Charity. It wasn't until 1739 that the surgeon major was permitted to enter the hospital. The first surgeon major in Louisbourg was Jean La Grange.
One interesting surgical procedure performed in Louisbourg mentioned a sailor whose leg was caught between barrels while loading a ship. While he was being treated, a tumour was discovered. The surgeon attempted to remove the tumour, with the only sedative being a couple shots of whisky. The surgeon cut the leg and removed the tumour.
In addition to the variety of surgeons, the community also called on midwives. Even though Louisbourg's survival rate was higher than France's, infant mortality was still a problem; thus midwives were called upon to help with the birth of children which usually took place in the home. Midwives could only be Roman Catholic, and had to swear to strive for "spiritual and temporal salvation of both mother and child".