Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-15

of the war OF the Crimea still alive, yet
there have been in late years some who
remembered the sweet and sympathetic
face OF Florence Nightingale. and who
were never tired of telling about her
Eoble work I'm the hospitals. 1t was not
| only In the details of nursing. but in the
gentle and watchful care for his comfort
that Miss Nightingale made herself a.
beautiful memory to the soldier. She lent
her aid to the surgeons when strong men
turned away in horror, and sustained
the courage of the wounded by her ap-
peals to the ties which bound them to
home.
Nor was ii in the hospitals alone that
her unselfish energy and untiring devo-
ton were felt There was an invalids
kitchen, where appetizing food for the
sick who could not eat ordinary fare was
provided under Miss Nightingale's eye.
She provided also laundries. where clean
linen could be obtained. In company
with the army chaplains she established
a library and a schoolroom. where she
had evening lectures to amuse the con-
valescents. She personally attended to
the correspondence CT the wounded and
in many ways fully earned the title con-
ferred upon her by the soldierS-"The
Angel of the Crimea."
Returns to Lea Hurst.
For year and a half she labored in
this field until her work there was no
longer necessary. In August, 1855, she
returned to Lea Hurst A grateful coun-
try would have welcomed her royalty, but
she had no desire for public praise and
shrank from its very manifestation. She
arrived when she was least expected and
eluded those who would have honored
her.
The queen, however, was not to be de-
MED. She sent for Miss Nightingale to
visit her at Balmoral and decorated her
with her own hand. The Sultan of Tur-
key made her a valuable present. The
English government on behalf of the peo-
pie was very practical in its expression
$3.50, 600.
She made herself still more popular by
refusing TO keep the money for her own
ment of st. Thomas Hospital. In this is
the Nightingale training school for
nurses. In recent years Miss Nightingale
had been unable to give her personal at
tention to the school. but 1t was and still
is conducted on the plan she devised.
Miss Nightingale at this time was the
heroine Of the hour. Poems were written
in her honor, songs and pianoforte pieces
were dedicated to the good angel of
Derbyshire." playbills displayed her name
beside that OF Hamlet, grocers put her
portrait on their bags as an advertise
ment, street minstrels found a Nightin-
broadsheet ballads on THE Nightingale"
were the fashion In Seven Dials and
young ladies in ringlets and spencers
played the Nightingale varsoviana" in
drawing room circles.
Some Of the young women who en-
tered the training school which Miss
Nightingale founded were OF the best
social standing, moved to emulate Miss
Nightingale's example. The probation
ers. or nurse pupils are required to re-
main three years before they can be-
come Protestant sisters. After this
term of probation they usually know
whether they have found their proper
vocation.
Her Writings Helpful.
Although Miss Nightingale's health
was never robust after her Crimean
experience, nevertheless she contrived
to write much that was of value Her
Hospital Notes" have been remarkably
successful, and her Notes on Nurs-
ing" have had a circulation reaching
/, into the hundreds of thousands. She
has written many more papers and re-
ports. some for publication. some for
the information OF her government
During the American civil war she was
constantly consulted as TO the manage
ment of field hospitals, and great good
came of her advice.
In recent years Miss Nightingale has
led a quiet life. the condition of her
health not permitting activity Hun
dreds of persons have constantly ex-
pressed desire to visit her but she
was able to receive only. a few She
had. however. as distinguished a COM
pany OF sympathetic correspondents as
any woman in Europe. She was a per-
sonal friend Of Lord Napier, of the
Duke of Cambridge and of Lord
Wolseley. Both Queen Victoria and
Queen Alexandra were in the habit of
sending regularly TO her home to in
quire about her health.
In her youth Miss Nightingale had
great desire to study medicine, but then
the profession was closed to women.
The injustice of the exclusion ranged
her on the side of those who later
started the propaganda for opening the
professions to women. She had also
been a lifelong exponent of women's
suffrage
In 1890 England formally celebrated
the great nurses birthday. There were
meetings and speeches at various
| towns. and the Prince of Wales pre-
sided at the ceremonies at the Training
School. for Nurses. The chorus OF
praise which reached her ears as she
| sat in her invalid's chair at the COM
| pletion OF threescore years and ten was
such as few women have enjoyed in the
history of the world. Perhaps the
greatest good that has resulted from
| her noble life has been the setting in
| motion OF a force which has led thou
sands of women to devote themselves
TO systematic care of the sick and
wounded.