HEROINE

The Turkish Empire was in decline and Russia, Britain and France wanted to grab what they could from that empire.

This led to the Crimean War, with Britain against Russia.

At the start of the war, thousands of British soldiers began to die of cholera, malaria, typhus and dysentery.

Florence Nightingale went as a nurse to an army hospital.

She found that the men were kept in rooms without blankets or decent food. 

"Unwashed, they were still wearing their army uniforms that were 'stiff with dirt and gore'."

The military objected to Nightingale's views on reforming military hospitals. 

The book Florence Nightingale: Avenging Angel, by Hugh Small, argues, unfairly, that Florence Nightingale was responsible for the high death rates of the Crimean War.

Two BBC films Florence Nightingale: Iron Maiden (2001) and Florence Nightingale (2008) also attacked Nightingale unfairly.

(Professor Lynn McDonald, History Today Volume: 62 Issue: 9 2012)

In reality, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was the true 'heroine' of the Crimean War.

"It was Nightingale who had faith in the power of nursing and changed the face of modern nursing." 

(Lynn McDonald, History Today Volume: 62 Issue: 9 2012) 

Nightingale's barrack hospital at Scutari, in Turkey, was the largest in the world.

"But it was never intended to be a hospital."

It lacked running water, functioning toilets, laundry and operating theatres.

The sewers and drains were defective.

Nearly half the deaths from disease in those army hospitals were due to bowel diseases.

Nightingale's hospital.

Not surprisingly, Nightingale's hospital had a high death rate, and so did all the army general hospitals. 

The highest death rate was at a hospital not under Nightingale's supervision. 

Many doctors and nurses died of disease. 

Nightingale got 'Crimean fever', probably brucellosis.

Nightingale worked hard to deal with "the flowing faeces on the floor."


Mother Teresa, much criticised for her attitude to 'suffering'. Mother Teresa - Wikipedia

Nightingale's work included nursing, the management of nurses, writing to officials in England, setting up laundries and kitchens, reducing cross-infection and improving nutrition. 

Death rates at the war hospitals were reduced when Nightingale's complaints eventually led to a 'commission' and improvements in sanitation.

British death rates fell from 23 per cent in the first winter to 2.5 per cent in the second.

Cholera in the Crimean War, 1854

"Nightingale received very little help from the military until she used her contacts at The Times to report details of the way that the British Army treated its wounded soldiers.

"John Delane, the editor of newspaper took up her cause, and after a great deal of publicity, Nightingale was given the task of organizing the barracks hospital after the battle of Inkerman and by improving the quality of the sanitation she was able to dramatically reduce the death-rate of her patients."

The Crimean War

Florence nightingale's funeral.

Nightingale's work led to major changes to health care.

"Her vision for health reform included bold statements, such as the belief that the poor should receive as good quality hospital care as private patients and warnings as to the dangers of hospital acquired infections."

(Professor Lynn McDonald, History Today Volume: 62 Issue: 9 2012)