23.1.16
My dear Mother
I’m afraid you have been a long time without a letter. I have been fearfully busy this week, having undertaken to read a paper at short notice before the Rouen Medical Society. The adviser in Pathology, Colonel Leishman, was there and my audience was largely composed of senior officers in consequence, I was asked afterwards by a friend if I didn’t feel nervous! I suppose in some ways I may be, but not for that sort of occasion. I had rather short time for working up the paper, but plenty of material, in the last four months I find I’ve made nearly 1500 bacteriological investigations, that’s about as much as I did at the Metropolitan in a whole year, but that was a half time job and no Sunday work. I wish this were the same.
I’m not likely to get leave before March, I’ll be very ready for it by then.
I think Colonel Leishman was pleased with the work and results obtained, I’ve been working independently at a new method of diagnosing typhoid diseases, and he finds my conclusions tally with those got in other areas. The typhoid vaccine inoculations have proved a great success, but from the laboratory point of view they complicate matters, making it more difficult to prove the presence of the disease. This newer method is gradually overcoming difficulties, but now just as we are seeing daylight, a new and more complicated vaccine is to come into use throughout the army, and our difficulties will start again!
It keeps very mild here, and not very wet for January.
Today I suppose you have George and Rosie with you – it’s very nice for him to have such a long leave and especially as it has given him an early chance to introduce Rosie to you all. What a lot of daughters original and grand and legal in esse and in fosse, you have around you just now.
I expect George has had the happiest weekend of his life, and I wonder if he has had time to show her all the historic points of interest – where he fell in the brook, the Robert pear trees, the old nursery window etc.
I run the mess here now, the last secretary has gone up the line – we have a Goanese cook, originally a “follower” of the Indian Division, but his master was killed and he has been taken on here – he’s not a bad cook, but looks very greasy and dirty.
From all accounts Baby is growing very fast, I suppose the first tooth will soon appear. Most people will have been favoured with a view of her photograph, I think her more like her Mother, that was my first impression on seeing the photos, but she has also a decidedly strong likeness to several of your babies. I must have another look at your picture gallery when I am at home.
With much love.
From your son
Arthur
