Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-05-21
was notleeaoly interested in hospitals

was notlceably interested in hospitals
and hospital work.
Before the end OF her first season
Miss Nightingale had In a measure
withdrawn herself from social life. Her
time was devoted to going about among
the hospitals and charitable institutions
In London. She soon discovered the in
efficiency OF the majority of those who
nurscd the sick. Those were the days
OF Sairey Camps, and her mind. active
in its sympathies and philanthropy.
reached out for plan that might rem
edy this defect. She saw in continental
countries the trained sisterhoods of the
Catholic church carrying on their noble
work with all the advantages of expe-
rience and trained skill. When she
heard of what was n unique organiza-
ton at the time-a sisterhood of Prot
estant nurses at Kaiserworth. on the
Rhine-Miss Nightingale. full of enthu
sasm, journeyed thither to learn of
these good women what she could OF
their methods and system. After stay
ing with them for n time she came back
to London eager to put into practice
some OF her newly acquired knowledge.
There was q home for superannuated
governesses which was sadly in need of
financiering and better management.
This Miss Nightingale took up as her
first task. She gave up her luxurious
surroundings, the society of congenal
and cultivated friends, and with all the
ardor OF new Joan of Arc threw her
self into the work OF caring for the poor
and sick. That she succeeded in res
cuinE the Governesses' home from dis
aster and Oblivion goes without saying.
1t stands today a prosperous institution
at AZ Harley street. London.
The undertaking proved too much for
the always delicate constitution of Miss
Nightingale, and she was after awhile
compelled to return to her beautiful
home at Lea Hurst to win back health
and strength among the beech groves
she loved so well.
The work for which Florence Nightin-
gale had been born came to her then.
perhaps because. herself weak and suf-
fering, she was the better able to I'M
derstand the pain OF others. Philoso-
pliers of the Schopenhauer school say
that the quality and depth of our own
sympathy are in the ratio of our own
experience.
The whole of England was ringing
with the suffering OF the English SOL
diers in the hospitals in the Crimea
Public indignation had reached high
pitch, yet the British authorities seemed
unable 10 mcnu matters. Sir syIfHpy
Herbert of the war department knew
Miss Nightingale. and at last he said.
1T is womans work, and there Is one
| woman in England who can set this
right" He sat down and wrote to Miss
Nightingale. AT the same time. so that
their letters must have crossed in the
mails. Miss Nightingale had written n
letter offering her services to the gov
-t,. ,l,.
the soldiers needed good nursing, such
as women alone could give them. There
was in those days no such thing rs a
Red Cross society or trained nurses.
or course, when her services were ac-
cepted all her friends were ughast
they said her going to Crimea was I'M
womanly, foolish and n useless sacrifice.
The real dignity of n gentlewoman."
said Miss Nightingale In reply. lis a
very high and unassailab BILE thing and
which silently encompasses her from
her BIRTH"
It is now an old story OF how she in
six months infused system and human
ity into the unspeakable arrangements
OF the hospitals OF Scutari. in which she
superintendent the care of $4,000. an ar
my of the sick and dying. There WAS
no laundry, no kitchen for the proper
preparation of food. no systematic care.
filth and decay everywhere. lack Of
food. medicine. beds and furniture-in
:1ct. lack of everything. No wonder
as the pale. sweet faced Florence Night
lngale. who had brought order out Of
this chaos. passed with her candle on her
nightly round of the hospitals, the he
rocs of Balaklava and of Inkerman
would lift themselves on their elbows.
in spite of the pangs of wounds OF fe-
IN IN y.ha ha CHI Il
had rested. II is an old story. too Of
how the whole English line burst into a
wild cheer as the slender. black robed
figure OF the Angel of the Trenches
walked coolly out among the Russian
bullets and shells before Sevastopol be-
cause she saw some one that she could