Florence Nightingale

by Rafe

Florence Nightingale was born May 12th, 1820 and was named after the city of her birth, Florence, Italy. She was born into a wealthy family. Her father was a politician and was very involved wth the anti-slavery movement. Florence was a bright child and loved to study foreign languages, mathmatics and even philosopy, subjects few young girls of the time were interested in learning about. When Florence reached her late teens, she felt a "calling" from God. While most women her age were choosing a husband, Florence decided to start a career in nursing. Her parents were opposed to the idea, as nursing at the time was something that working class women were forced to do, not a usual career choice for someone of Florence's background. Finally at the age of 31, Florence began her nursing training in Germany. Florence is most famous for her work during the Crimean War in Turkey. Many soldiers became ill with both Cholera and Malaria soon after the war started. Although women in medicine was not a popular concept during this time, Ms Nightingale volunteered to help and was given permission to travel to Turkey with a group of other nurses. Upon arriving at the military hospitals, Florence got right to work trying to make changes in the unsanitary conditions there. Her work went unappreciated until she enlisted the aid of the editor of the London Newspaper "The Times". The paper took up her cause and public outcry for improving the quality and sanitation in military hospitals forced the government to adopt Ms Nightingale's solutions. Many lives were saved due to her efforts. Upon her return to England, she published 2 books about nursing and opened a nursing school with the proceeds of her writings. Florence Nightingale had a lot to say about women's rights and became one of the most influential women of the 19th century. And......Florence Nightingale was owned by three persian cats named Bismarck, Disraeli and Gladstone!!