| Administrative History | - Wiliam Shore Smith: Florence Nightingale's cousin
- William Yeomans of Holloway House: land agent to the Nightingale family and Poor Law Guardian
- Eliza Limb of Holloway, born about 1830 and her daughters
- Miss Mochler: assistant to the Nightingale family
- Nurse Swann: a local nurse, but not otherwise indentified
- Florence M Platts, born about 1875, daughter of Samuel Platts and Elizabeth Allison, living in Holloway with her father and Hannah, his second wife (1881 census only)
- Jane Allison, born about 1840, living in Holloway
- John Mee, fishmonger of Belper, died in September 1879
- Fanny Dowding: maid to Florence Nightingale
- Rawson: not identified
- Walker: not identified
Sources: Civil registration indexes, 1871 and 1881 census |
| Transcript or Index | Lea Hurst
Sept 20/79
Private
My dear Sir
First of all, let me thank you very much for your Analysis of the Limbs' Well water. I wrote without losing a moment by the same morning's post to Mr Shore Smith giving him your information & asking him what was to be done.
He answered that he would write to Mr Yeomans, & if the well belonged to the estate it should be cleaned & the top made so that no dirty water should run into it. He fancies that the excess of Chlorides is from dirty water coming into it: but, he says, "a dirty pail or pan will poison the best water more than a good deal trickling into a well."
But may not there be percolation from some privvy or cesspool into the well? That is the commonest cause.
As Mr S. S. says: "if this is the cause it is satisfactory to have found it out & I should not anticipate any difficulty in making it right."
But I am afraid the Limbs' cottage does not belong to the estate. I think it belongs to Buxton.
What is to be done? What is the regular course to pursue in such matters? Perhaps you have had it done already.
2. How soon do you think we may let Miss Mochler or any one from here go safely to the Limbs? or let Nurse Swann (I presume she is still there nursing) come to speak to us here?
And should the 2 visitors go to some Convalescent Home? They have had meat & eggs every day from here: may they have puddings and the like? & do you wish any thing more for them? Port Wine or any stimulant?
3. I saw the little Allison or rather Platts today. She still looks very delicate. Should you object to her going to school say 3 afternoons in the week? now.
I think you have quite made a cure of her aunt, Jane Allison.
4. I have to ask you about a thing which I have not spoken of to any of our household for fear of alarming them: we are obliged to have Fish 3 or 4 times a week from Belper, for my Mother, because she does not always like the Matlock fish. Last week it missed, and the next day the son of the Fishmonger, Mee, came over himself bringing fish and rabbits and saying that his father had died the day before of "Brain fever." Pitying the poor widow who wrote to ask for our custom, I have gone on having fish and fowls from her. But Mr Yeomans has today informed me that it was not "Brain Fever" but "Scarlet Fever"
As the harm was done, I said nothing to any body. Do you think there are any precautions we could take now? Or do you think I should have nothing more from them at present?
We have fish in the house & fowls & rabbits at this moment from them. But I should create such an alarm if I had these destroyed. And the son was talking in the house a considerable time the day after his father's death with the cook & my Fanny.
It is every little detail falling upon me which keeps me so prostrate.
5. I have had a letter from the Rawsons of Higham speaking with great hope of what you are doing for her knee.
6. There is a poor young man named Walker whom you attend (haemorrhage from the lungs?) Miss Mochler met him walking out again yesterday.
Should you like to send him to the Infirmary in order to compel him to keep quiet?
Pray believe me yours very sincerely
F. Nightingale
C.B.N. Dunn Esq. |