[The Child Welfare Centre, St Andrews; child welfare specialist.] Three Autograph Letters Signed from Elenora Simpson of the James Mackenzie Institute, St Andrews, to her Professor David Waterston, regarding research and data.

As a result of her pioneering work at the Child Welfare Centre at St Andrews, Simpson was appointed to a sub-committee of the Scientific Advisory Committee set up by the Department of Health (see Jaqueline Jenkinson, ‘Scotland’s Health 1919-1948’, 2002). Waterston was Bute Professor of Anatomy at the University of St Andrews from 1914 to 1942. In 1913, while Professor of Anatomy at King's College, London, he was the first authority to debunk the Piltdown Man hoax. The second and third item are in good condition, while the first has some ruckling and bleeding as a result of removal from its mount. All three folded for postage, and each signed ‘Elenora Simpson’. ONE (26 December 1939): 2pp, landscape 8vo. She explains that she has not been able to ‘complete the work in the five weeks’ because another doctor ‘left on Friday taking with her one complete years records of the eight years we have been working on’. Nevertheless, she hopes to ‘finish the foundations of the investigation by 15th. January’. Professor Greenwood wants to see her after seeing the doctor with the records. TWO (10 August 1940): 2pp, 4to. Begins: ‘Dear Professor Waterton / I asked at the management Committee meeting on 26th. March for permission to apply to the M[edical]. R[esearch]. C[ouncil]. for a personal grant to investigate the effects of infant feeding on the health & nutrition in children observed from brith for 5-10 years.’ Because of a misunderstanding with ‘Dr. Orr’, she did not apply to the M. R. C. ‘In these rather unfortunate Circumstances perhaps it would be better to wait a little longer [...] In the only communication I have had from Professor Greenwood since January - a note on 14th. March - he said that “he did not expect to be in a position to make a final report at present”, though the tabulation was done.’ THREE (8 October 1940): 2pp, landscape 8vo. She has ‘received intimations from the Medical Research Council of a personal part time post of £200 p. a. together ith an expences post not exceeding £100 p. a. dating from 1. 10. 40. They wish me as a “preliminary to any further investigation” to do what Professor T R Elliott calls the “general arithmetic” of the material gathered in the years 1920-1940. They wish to know the total number of children born each year at St Andrews, the number who have died, those who entered the Child Welfare Centre, those who entered the Institute & attended from 2 to 5 years & also after 5 years.’ She expresses delight at the opportunity to do so, as she believes ‘it would make a good background for any conclusions which may be drawn from any analyses of the clinical data.’