In these times remembering the story of Florence Nightingale (1820-1920), pioneer of modern nursing. Tho born into the highest circles of English society she believed herself called to some higher service. This took the form of an imperative call to nursing.
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This was considered a disreputable task for one of her station and her father forbade it—yet she persisted. After years of studying books on medicine and disease she took a course on nursing in Germany and afterward won appointment as head of a small London charity hospital.
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There she implemented her ideas on sanitation, nutrition, proper ventilation. With outbreak of Crimean War she won support to take control of 38 nurses to join troops in Turkey. Finding the military hospital in disgraceful conditions she set out to restore order and cleanliness.
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Before long she was put in charge of the entire medical service in the war. Mortality rate was reduced by 50%. Her kindness to the wounded soldiers became the stuff of legend and she returned to England a national hero. Yet her work was only beginning.
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