The Washington herald., 1910-08-21
By cHAaLOTTE NJ. CoNGER.


II was a startling thing when news OF
the death Of the Angel Of the Crimea"
was flashed all over the world to have
the young person ask, who was Flor
ence Nightingale, anyhow" Every civil
lied person in the world should know
Florence Nightingsle's story Il should
be part Of the training Of every nurse,
every doctor should have il at his
tongues end and every convalescent pa
tient should bless the name Of Florence
Nightingale.
But the young person is being answered
by articles published in every language
under the sun. And he knows at least
that the wonderful old lady, who died
last week was the pathfinder in modern
nursing. the founder Of the first training
| school for nurses in the world and the
Inspiration Of all the nurses who came
after her
Florence Nightingale was the child Of
rich parents. born with a passion for re-
lieving suffering, just as one is born with
a passion FOR literature and art As a
child she iDculged this passion by bet
tering the condition and relieving the
suferings OF the people on her fathers
estate in Derbyshire
Tries 10 Divert Her Mind.
To divert her mind from this work her
father took her on pleasure trip 70
Egypt, but the things that interest the
ordinary traveller held no charm for her
The sick and suffering Arabs claimed
her attention and she was soon interested
( in them as she had been in her people
in Derbyshire. Her favorite pasume was
working In the hospitals and she devoted
herself TO this with energy and under
standing. rare in so young a person.
studying the while and gaining valuable
experience.
Her passion for nursing grew with her
'abOrs in II and she finally. in 1919, went
to a Protestant House Of Mercy" which
was situated on the Rhine not far from
Dusseldorf, and under the direction Of
Pastor Flinders. 20 learn what was
taught there in regard 70 nursing: from
Germany she went TO investigate the
French methods Of nursing and. when
she had learned all that the French
could teach. returned to London TO make
practical use Of her knowledge. and at
once allied herself with a sanatorium for
governesses, which was in a state OF
stagnation because OF lack Of funds to
prosecute its work Her knowledge,
training. and experience were Of no
1 avail unless she had money 10 carry out
her IDEAS so her first work In connec-
ton with this institution was 70 raise
funds for IT'S support then 10 introduce
new and sensible methods IN It's conduct.
Goes 10 the Front.
BY this time the Crimean war was a
its height and the dispatches sent from
there describing the sickness and suffer-
ings Of not only the British but OF all
, the wounded soldiers shocked and horri-
fed the whole world. Always practical.
Florence Nightingale offered her services
to the government. volunteering To 20
and take with her a party Of nurses 10
the Crimea, but her services had stimuli
taneously been sought by the government,
and the letter from the secretary Of war.
Sidney Herbert asking her aid and her
letter offering II crossed in the mails
The history OF her work In the Crimea.
what she accomplished. and the cost OF
it 20 her has never been, never viii be
adequately told. How she lived in the
memories of the veterans Of that war is
best shown by the vote on what name
connected with the war in Crimea would
live the longest. which was taken az
meeting OF the surviving officers OF that
struggle. that took place some ten years
ago. Florence Nightingale's name, il was
decided; the name Of their angel would
live longer than all OF the titled officers
who fought and the heroes who fell Il
IS a privilege 10 hear a veteran who
took part in that PARKWAY conflict tell
Of Miss Nightngale's work there; how
her influence spread 10 every corner Of
the camps and how her written words
carried comfort 10 the dear ones Of those
who died on the field or IN the hospitals,
An indomitable viii controlled a frau
body and she seemed TO be everywhere,
assisting at a grave operation here. sooth-
ing a delirious patient there, ministering
10 and sustaining the dying. No wonder
she was christened Angel" this wise