Iconoclast Part 2 of 4: Florence Nightingale
April 6, 2010 by dr. lam
In 1854, during the Crimean War, the British soldiers in the barracks outside of Constantinople were dying like flies. Conventional wisdom passed down from the generals purported that the deaths stemmed from injuries inflicted on the battlefield. The nurses, like Florence Nightingale, were encouraged to focus their duties on tending to the soldiers’ wounds. However, despite much travail and attention, the soldiers’ mortality rate continued to climb. The British authorities commissioned an investigation to see why this was the case.
Many of the soldiers were dying of typhoid and cholera, and the thought prevailed at the time that malnourishment made these men more susceptible to that outcome. Obviously, this logic may have accounted for part of the story but something else was missing. When the sewers that ran through the barracks were cleaned, the death rate dropped remarkably. It took Nightingale to see the connection of disease with causative hygiene issues, and it took her to announce this finding for the changes to occur.
This may not seem like a big deal in today’s world but back then nurses and women were considered of a lower social and professional status. Nightingale altered the perception because she was in the barracks and saw the world differently than the generals did who lived in the scarred terrain of the battlefield. Nightingale showed imagination and bravery to challenge conventional knowledge of what was causing the soldiers’ death an in a single stroke improved the lot for women, nurses, and the men who were dying from preventable disease.
Starting with unbridled imagination, Nightingale moved forward without fear to offer her thoughts about what was going on despite her status as a nurse. She was afforded the chance to see differently because of where she worked but it took an imagination to see exactly the connection between hygiene and disease, perhaps an obvious link through the distorted lens of our retrospection.
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9 Responses to “Iconoclast Part 2 of 4: Florence Nightingale”
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and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
The generals listened to her, so good on them as well, I’d imagine.
It seems we always hear her name in reference to being a caretaker or do-gooder, but she was much more than that. I never realized or thought of her as an iconoclast. Thanks!
yes, that was cool to me too! thanks for commenting.
Thanks, Dr. Lam!! Great blog! Great point, Nord!
This is just a comment…lol..although women during that time had a “lower” social and professional status in today’s perception, they did have more respect as women or rather they were looked up to in a different way, and that’s something that has been lost although other progress has been made. So this “lower” status wasn’t viewed as unequal by society at that time but as a different or special role. May be a reason why they listened to her…lol Just my input…lol
thanks heather.
Dear Dr Lam,
May I have your permission to use the first photo in your essay for teaching purpose please.
Regards,
Juliana
I never tire of hearing & reading about this Lady. I wonder if she has any descendants….? I wish there were more like her in today’s world of dog eat dog.
Great show Dr. Lam.
God be with you.
Sam
Florence Nightingale had an amazing impact that has continued to inspire tens of millions of people around the world. To check out the article “Florence Nightingale: Mother of Nursing”, click on http://bit.ly/agInhG
the photo is not mine. i pulled it from the net, as you are wanting to do.
thanks for this info i needed something like this for a project!!!!