Florence Nightingale: The Lady with the Lamp

Today marks the 190th birthday of Florence Nightingale. 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910 (died peacefully in her sleep). I think it's interesting to learn about people who have gone before so I thought I'd share it here.

"A pioneer in the nursing field, she established herself as a competent nursing administrator during the Crimean War, where her insistence on sanitary conditions cut the death rate considerably. She continued to advance the field in her later years, providing better health service and opportunities for women at the same time." (Womenshistory.about.com)

One of the soldiers said of her:

She is a ‘ministering angel’ without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor, every poor fellow's face softens with gratitude at the sight of her. When all the medical officers have retired for the night and silence and darkness have settled down upon those miles of prostrate sick, she may be observed alone, with a little lamp in her hand, making her solitary rounds. (wikipedia)

I liked this quote by Florence Nightingale (why do I feel weird calling someone who lived long ago by only their first name?)... anyhoo... this quote is quite true:

"Women never have a half-hour in all their lives (excepting before or after anybody is up in the house) that they can call their own, without fear of offending or of hurting someone. Why do people sit up so late, or, more rarely, get up so early? Not because the day is not long enough, but because they have 'no time in the day to themselves.' [1852]