The Washington times., 1901-12-22
Florence Nightingale a Sufferer
When Past Fourscore.
RESULT OF HER SACRIFICE.
Reared In Adluence. But Even in
c,iIdhood sought TO Ala the Poor
and Lowi,-Her Noble work In tho
Army Hospitals.

I
lots were counted. 10 and behold every
vote was for a woman, aud when the nams
OF Florence Nightingale was announced
as the unanimous selection OF the grizzled
veterans the banquet hall rang with ap-
proving cheers Small wonder, then. that
the whole world Is filed with interest and
I sympathy when the report goes forth that
she is seriously til in her eighty second
/ year.
/ As the pioneer in the system OF trained
female nurses for war. and as the minis
tering angel who saved thousands OF lives
and eased untold suffering. Florence
| Nightingale won Immortality on the
bloody fields OF the Crimca. This Is the
moro remarkable as she was reared In
| luxury. and came of n race OF peculiar
/ dciicacy OF taste. Her father vas William
| Edward shore. a banker OF Sheffield. On
/ iuheriting the estate OF a kiusman named
Peter Nightingale he was compelled by
the terms of the will TO assume the name
of Nightingale.
benevolent NJ Child.
The family spent much time In Italy.
and the second daughter was born in May.
1920, in the city of Florence, from which
her name was borrowed She was a pre-
eocious child. and early in life made great
advancement in music. mathematics. and
languages. Happening to visit hospital
the impressionable girl at once announced
that nursing was TO be her mission in life.
and she dropped her other studies to learn
the art OF caring for the sick. As a girl
she sought to improve the sanitary con-
ditions of the laborers and peasants about
her fathers manor in Derbyshire.
Her parents took her to Egypt. but she
turned from a life OF idleness and pleas
ure to nurse sick Arabs in hospital On
returning to London she ignored society
TO work in hospitals, where she laid the
foundation Of a practical training that
proved OF inestimable benefit to mankind
for all subsequent time. In 1919 she went
to Pastor Fiiedner's school. conducted by
the Protestant Sisters OF Mercy. at Kai5
erwerth on the Rhine, not far from Dus-
seldorf, and took a course OF instruction
in their methods of relieving distress.
From Germany she went TO France to ex-
anime various institutions in her thosen
line OF work. Aes
Hurried to the Front.
Soon after her return to London she had
an opportunity to undertake important
work. Learning that the sanitarium for
governesses was langulshing for want Of
proper support. she volunteered her serv-
ices free of cost. she also raised money
for its support and put 1t on a good llnan-
cial basis. but impaired her health.
Shortly after the beginning OF the
Crimean war, in the winter OF 1854. Eng
land was Mortified by the graphic dcscrip-
tions of the sufferings OF sick and wound-
ed British soldiers sent home by the cor
respondent OF the London Times" after
ward known as Bull Run" Russell. be-
cause OF his account OF the Federal dis
aster in the American civil war. A cry
OF Indignation went up all through the
Empire, accompanied with demand fo-
reform. Florence Nightingale offered
her services to Sydney Herbert. Secretary
of War. He had written her to accept the
command Of body OF trained nurses. and
their letters passed each other In the
mails.
1t was only a few days before the
angel of the Crimea." as the soldiers
christened Miss Nightingale, was on her
way to Scutari with thirty-four trained
nurses.
She was described as being at that time
"a tall and graceful woman with small.
soft, sympathetic brown eyes and with a
firm. courageous expression OF eOunte-
nance"
Her Presence n Blessing.
She faced a frightful condition of chaos
and suffering at Seutari. She found $4,000
soldiers disabled by sickness and woends.
l. coo being due to the recent battle Of
Inkerman She was given almost absolute
How nobly she did her work is
an old story. and her name is household
word throughout the civilized world. Sow
ereigns have delighted to honor her. and
f,s,- oh history
for all time.
To the mangled and fever raeked VIC
tins OF the war the slight form that
fitted so silently from ward to ward. tho
sympathetic face that bent over the ter
turing cot. the sweet voice that whispered
words of comfort. the gentle hands that
washed wounds with such delicate touch.
I'll were the symbols OF an angelic being
whose ministrGtions were more precious
han diamonds and rubies.
Miss Nightingale and her assistants net
,nly dressed the soldiers wounds and
zave medicines to the sick, but they aided
he surgeons in numberless operations,
hough never so bloody and Sgonizsng-
And when the soldiers reached the ccn-
salescing stage the nurses sang the dear
I'D songs Of home to the wearied and
Scared veterans. Miss Nightingale also
established an iuvalids' kitchen. laun-
Try, a library. and a 5choolrOom. She
IA lked day and night in an air laden With
iisease germs. and amid scenes and odors
hat made strong men turn sick. but her
lody. animated by an unyielding soul, was
roof against cholera and typhus.
DecIined Public Honors.
When she returned 10 London in August,
S56 a great reception was rendered her.
,ut was declined. Queen Victoria would
lot be refused. however. and insisted on
Iaying her as a guest at Balmoral. where
he nurse was decorated by the hands OF
he sovereign. The sultan OF Turkey sent
lsr n magnificent present and the French
howered honors upon her. Among the
lifts Of the British people was a present
4 $3.50 GOO. but she devoted 1t TO the e5-
ablishment Of the Nightingale training
chool for Nurses.
Rut the devoted woman did not escape
he penaIty of her terrible ordeal Of two
ears in the Crimea. After reaching
ome there came a reaction She broke
own physically. and continued to be more
r less CT an invalid during the rest OF her
.fe. Even in her sick room she labored
n in the cause OF the sick and suffering.
Noted Reforms Her work.
she wrote a number of works for the
irection Of nurses and others caring for
he sick. Her Notes on Hospitals ap-
cared in 1859. and had a large cireula-
on. It was approved by the British war
epartment, and was used by it as text
eek copies being sent to every army
ospital. Notes on Nursing" had cir
MA ton Of iO0. Geo copies. and "Observa-
ons ON the Sanitary State of the Army in
,dia' proved a valuable work.
Az the request of the war department.
no prepared a voluminous confidential
port on the working of the army medical
epartment during the Criinean var.
hieh resulted In many reforms. She also
rought about improvements in the sani-
,ry regulations OF the volunteers, end
er advice has often been sought by tho
ar officials For many years past she