Letter from Florence Nightingale to William Rathbone MP, 7 May 1883 [image 1 of 5]

Description

In this letter, dated 7 May 1883, F.N. remarks upon the conclusions drawn on the Bangor epidemic. According to her advisers, the problem was not an 'enteric fever poison' but the lack of sanitary measures to prevent an outbreak. In particular, there were good sewage and water systems, but they needed 'a proper system of improvement'. She recommends that the whole water scheme should be completed and that the work should be overseen by an engineer and not the officer of health. She remarks that 'the mischief was all done at Bangor before the fever showed itself', and that 'the object of sanitary work is not remedy but prevention', which was lacking due to 'some missing links in the administration'.