Florence Nightingale's Lovers by Quentin Smith
(Published in Insight August 2008)
The name Florence Nightingale is associated with everything honourable and noble in the nursing profession. Nearly one hundred years after her death there are nursing schools named after her around the world, including the prestigious Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King's College London. But she is equally remembered for her contributions in statistics, English feminism and even has World Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day celebrated on her birthday.
Florence was born into the British nobility on 12 May 1820 and named after her city of birth in Italy. From an early age she rebelled against the expectations of a woman of her status, which was simply to become a wife and mother and live a life of luxurious opulence. Instead she chose nursing, a job with a poor reputation at that time, often performing only menial tasks and usually filled by society's poorest women. Despite never marrying, Florence lived off a comfortable allowance from her father.
In response to the scandalous death of a pauper in a London workhouse in 1844, Florence took an active role in reforming the Poor Laws and improving medical care in infirmaries. She was superintendent at the Institute for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Harley Street when she volunteered in 1854 for the Crimean War. She and 38 volunteers arrived at Selimiye Barracks in Scutari (modern day Istanbul) and discovered wounded soldiers festering in appalling circumstances - inadequate medicines, poor hygiene, mass infections, and blocked sewers. Ten times more soldiers died from illnesses (typhus, cholera and dysentery) than battle wounds. Within six months death rates had dramatically improved with attention to basic hygiene.
Upon her return from Crimea in 1857 Florence was regarded as the most popular Victorian of her day, second only to Queen Victoria herself. During her convalesence from Crimean Fever (ironic!) she penned a one thousand page report for the Royal Commission which led to an overhaul of army medical care, and ultimately to the establishment of an Army Medical School. Florence had an admirable understanding of statistics and pioneered the presentation of statistical graphics. She particularly liked the polar area chart, a forerunner of today's circular histogram.
The Nightingale Fund, set up during the Crimean War, raised £45,000 (about £2.5 million in today's money) and Florence used this to set up the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas' Hospital in 1860. In the years that followed Florence wrote Notes on Nursing which became the standard text for nursing schools, inspired a generation of nurses involved in the American Civil War, opened the Women's Medical College, and mentored America's first trained nurse. By the 1880s Nightingale nurses were an influential presence in leading hospitals around the world. By 1896 Florence was bedridden with what is today believed to be Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
In her unwavering lifelong commitment to nursing Florence broke off several intimate relationships, much to the dismay of her family. First there was the poet and politician, Richard Monckton Milnes, and then the married politician Sidney Herbert, who gave Florence immense support throughout the Crimean War and was prepared to leave his wife for her. And then finally, Benjamin Jowett.
Florence Nightingale OM RRC
12.5.1820 - 13.8.1910
Santa Flomena
Lo! in that hour of misery
A lady with a lamp I see
Pass through the glimmering gloom,
And flit from room to room
Henry Wadworth Longfellow 1857
(Published in Insight August 2008)
The name Florence Nightingale is associated with everything honourable and noble in the nursing profession. Nearly one hundred years after her death there are nursing schools named after her around the world, including the prestigious Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King's College London. But she is equally remembered for her contributions in statistics, English feminism and even has World Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day celebrated on her birthday.
Florence was born into the British nobility on 12 May 1820 and named after her city of birth in Italy. From an early age she rebelled against the expectations of a woman of her status, which was simply to become a wife and mother and live a life of luxurious opulence. Instead she chose nursing, a job with a poor reputation at that time, often performing only menial tasks and usually filled by society's poorest women. Despite never marrying, Florence lived off a comfortable allowance from her father.
In response to the scandalous death of a pauper in a London workhouse in 1844, Florence took an active role in reforming the Poor Laws and improving medical care in infirmaries. She was superintendent at the Institute for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Harley Street when she volunteered in 1854 for the Crimean War. She and 38 volunteers arrived at Selimiye Barracks in Scutari (modern day Istanbul) and discovered wounded soldiers festering in appalling circumstances - inadequate medicines, poor hygiene, mass infections, and blocked sewers. Ten times more soldiers died from illnesses (typhus, cholera and dysentery) than battle wounds. Within six months death rates had dramatically improved with attention to basic hygiene.
Upon her return from Crimea in 1857 Florence was regarded as the most popular Victorian of her day, second only to Queen Victoria herself. During her convalesence from Crimean Fever (ironic!) she penned a one thousand page report for the Royal Commission which led to an overhaul of army medical care, and ultimately to the establishment of an Army Medical School. Florence had an admirable understanding of statistics and pioneered the presentation of statistical graphics. She particularly liked the polar area chart, a forerunner of today's circular histogram.
The Nightingale Fund, set up during the Crimean War, raised £45,000 (about £2.5 million in today's money) and Florence used this to set up the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas' Hospital in 1860. In the years that followed Florence wrote Notes on Nursing which became the standard text for nursing schools, inspired a generation of nurses involved in the American Civil War, opened the Women's Medical College, and mentored America's first trained nurse. By the 1880s Nightingale nurses were an influential presence in leading hospitals around the world. By 1896 Florence was bedridden with what is today believed to be Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
In her unwavering lifelong commitment to nursing Florence broke off several intimate relationships, much to the dismay of her family. First there was the poet and politician, Richard Monckton Milnes, and then the married politician Sidney Herbert, who gave Florence immense support throughout the Crimean War and was prepared to leave his wife for her. And then finally, Benjamin Jowett.
Florence Nightingale OM RRC
12.5.1820 - 13.8.1910
Santa Flomena
Lo! in that hour of misery
A lady with a lamp I see
Pass through the glimmering gloom,
And flit from room to room
Henry Wadworth Longfellow 1857
