Florence Nightingale: A Biography

This book was written in 1914 I have an original copy ..I am thoroughly impressed with the detail and wonder of this amazing nurse who was totally dedicated to her patients and her staff..It is a vivid account of the hardship they edured and the many lives they saved due to her exceptional practical skills and endurance way beyond the norm.

The opening chapters of Nightingale's early life are rather sentimental. However the style improves when we reach Scutari and the hospital when more factual information is available. There is a danger of being unconvinced, in these cynical times, of this account as Ms Nightingale seems too good to be true. However she clearly had the backing of the public, respect and gratitude of those soldiers she improved conditions for and nursed, and the support of influential friends and acquaintances.The accounts of incompetence in the war office, lightweight clothing supplied for men serving in cold conditions, supplies being sent to the wrong destination, and denial in some case that there was even a problem have resonances to this day.But, as it common with many books scanned and converted to text from an archive copy there has been no attempt to tidy up scanning problems or remove page headers. With modern software and a little effort this should not be a problem.