Today in Womens' History: Florence Nightengale born in 1820

Florence Nightingale
May 12, 1820-August 13, 1910

You may think you know Florence Nightingale...but just scroll through this brief bio (or skip straight to the "fun facts" and pithy quote) and see what new things you learn about "The Lady with the Lamp!"

Everyone knows Florence Nightingale is practically synonymous with the nursing profession. Known as a pioneer in the field, she established herself as a competent nursing administrator during the Crimean War, where her insistence on sanitary conditions cut the death rate considerably. The mortality rate at the military hospital was 60% when she arrived and only 2% six months later. Throughout her life, she continued to advance the field providing better health service and opportunities for women at the same time.

Besides her dedication to nursing during the Crimean War, she accomplished a number of other impressive tasks in her life as well. Ms. Nightingale, although unable to be appointed to the Royal Commission on Health of the Army because she was a women, wrote their 1,000-page detailed report leading to a major overhaul of army medical care. She authored several books in her lifetime including Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What It Is Not, which became the cornerstone for nursing textbooks of the era. She was also quite the fundraiser, bringing in over £59,000 to open the Nightingale Training School for Nurses in London. At one point she even consulted to Queen Victoria & Prince Albert on sanitation issues in India.

But here are some other little know (and dare I say fun) facts about Ms. Nightingale:

--At the age of 20, she had to fight her parents for the right to get tutoring in math. How many moms out there wish their kids were willing to fight for a math tutor?!

--Turns out, Florence Nightingale was quite the women's-libber. In her book Suggestions for Thought to Searchers after Religious Truths (1859), she argued strongly for the removal of restrictions that prevented women having careers. So, if you're reading this from your desk...silently thank Florence Nightingale for your ability to have a job!


--Her own health was quite poor after the Crimean War. It declined steadily until she was blind and bed-ridden by 1895, requiring full-time nursing care for the last 15 years of her life. Guess it's a good thing she fought for well-trained nurses, huh?!


--She is rumored to have owned more than 60 cats. 60! Couple that with the fact she never married and I'm feeling less & less like the crazy cat lady with my two unruly felines.


So now you know the real story behind Florence Nightingale. Nurse. Hero. Lover of cats. God rest her soul!

A quote from Florence Nightingale:
"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."