The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-26

From a SHAMELESS into a Life Saw.
ing Station and Became the Mother
of Modern Nursing Methods.
Florence Nightingale, whose death
occurred in 1911 at the advanced age
1T ninety, vas IL revolutionist III the
most splendid sense of that term. She
1t was who revoluiionised nursing to
that extent that she may be considered
rs the mother of that profession
Previous 10 her entrance into the
field the sick were the victims OF
callous ignorance and glasping i'll
troduced tic trained, skilled and gentle
hospital nurse, district nurse ana mill
tary nurse of today.
Certainly to few women-and to few
men--has it been given TO serve their
fellows So splendidly and so effective
IT, Florence Nightingale found chaos
In military hospitals; she created or
der and All that order implies.
After the battle of Alma, in the
Crimean war;. the military hospital at
Scutali YVES like dirty SHAMELESS.
Wounded nlen died in hundreds in the
midst of squalor and vermin. Crowds
of poisonous flies buZzed ceaselessly
above the sick: medical supplies We're
inadequate; proper food could not be
had, there were no arrangements for
washing or sanitation.
The plight Of the wounded soldiers.
hcrtled together in this hotbel of pesti-
lcncc. was worse than II they had been
left upon the battlefield. Are there
no devoted women among you." wrote
Russell, the famous war correspondent
Of the London Times. able and will
ing to 20 forth and administer to the
sick and suffering soldiers IN the east
In the hospitals ut Scutari? Are none
of the daughters Of England mt this
hour OF need ready for such work OF
mercy"
This appeal was answered almost in.
stantly sidney Herbert was then at
the head of the war Office, and when
by letters from women OF all classes
anxious TO respond TO the call Mr.. Her
bert's thoughts ut once turned 10 the
lady who was in his opinion the one
woman capable of organizing and tax
ing out to the Crimea staff of nurses
The woman was Florence Nightingale.
Miss Nightingale was thirty-four ut
the time, and from her childhood she
had devoted herself TO the study OF
hospital nursing and hospital manage
ment In 1910 she had enrolled herself
as il volunteer nurse at the first train.
ing school for sick nurses established
n modern times-the Deaconcss insti.
ltiun at Kaserwortli, on the Rhine.
When the war broke out there was no
woman in all England better fitted
than Florence Nightingale 10 give to
England's soldiers comfort and relief.
Mr.. Herbert wrote to Miss Nightin-
gale and asked her Ii she would so out
and supervise the whole thing. His
letter crossed one from her, for ON the
same day Florence Nightingale had
written 10 the war Office Offering her
services in the hospital Mt Scutaii. The
offer showed splendid courage.
Within n week of making her resolve,
Miss Nightingale had her first contin-
ecat of nurses in marching order. she
had selected thirty-eight nurses 10 &c.
sompny her, and they arrived nj
scutari on the day before the battle OF
lnkerman. And without moments
loss Of time tliat lady in chief and her
staff set TO work to cleanse the Augean
stable which they found waiting for
them ut the great barrack hospital.
Iii 4 short time the place was entire.
~ renovated. Everything WAS scrubbed.
old clothes We're burned, 4 kitchen and
laundry were established, and the place
became comfortable. well organized
hospital Florence Nightingale super
intended everything. She worked us
hard N The routine and organizing as
nj the nursing itself At all hours of
the day ana night she would wall;
silently lamp in hand. through the
wards, giving Il word of comfort here
or instruction there, she saved the
lives literally of hundreds.
Womded mon. so horribly mangled
that doctors gave them no hope. and
other nurses could not bring chem
selves to touch thenl were saved from
death by the tireless care of this one
wonderful woman. The men worshiped
The very shadow Of this lady with the
lamp
The supreme womanineSs of the
work of Miss Nightingale made her the
idol Of the English people Three mon
archs paid their tribute TO her. Re
memhered by royalty she was not for
gotten by the people. ON her return
shattered in health. from Scutaii.
S2J000O was presented TO her by
grateful nation. She used it all Tor
the founding Of the Nightingale Train
ing Home For Nurses mt St Thomas
hospital England. which is practically
the parent of modern training homes
throughout the world. Just as i'lorencc
Nightingale was the mother of all pres
ent day nurses. Cleveland Plain
Dealer.