THE LADY WITH THE LAMP

Florence Nightingale was born in Italy on May 12, 1820. Her parents, William and Frances Nightingale, were very rich and spent their time travelling Europe. After Florence’s birth, the family moved back to England. Florence’s interest in maths and medicine began in her childhood. She was educated at home, and spent her free time cataloging her possessions. In 1845, Florence told her family that she wished to become a nurse. Her parents were angry to hear that and sent her to travel Europe with family friends, hoping that she would forget about nursing. After a year abroad, she was able to convince her parents to let her study at a hospital in Germany. In 1853, she became a nurse in London. A year later, in 1854, Florence and 28 other nurses helped soldiers in the Crimean War. While she was working in a British hospital in the area, she worked hard and improved the conditions in the hospital. Florence set up a nursing school in London in 1859. She also worked with several American doctors and nurses, training them in her practice. In 1869, she and Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive her medical degree in the United States, opened the Women’s Medical College. Florence also worked with Linda Richards, who became known as “America’s first trained nurse”. For her efforts, Florence received the Royal Red Cross Award by Queen Victoria in 1883. However, by 1896, Florence fell ill and was forced to spend her time in bed. During this time, she wrote mostly about hospital planning. She died on August 13, 1910.