Muffin Stories - Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale was born into a British noble family in an Italian city called Firenze in 1820 while her parents were traveling in Italy. She was given her name after Florence, which is the English name for Firenze. Nightingale traveled a lot and learned a lot of things as she grew up from her childhood. Although people thought women didn't need to study, her father had her receive a lot of education. One day Nightingale saw a dying dog while walking on a snow-covered path with a church minister. She rescued and treated the dog with all her heart, although it was dangerous to do so. Nightingale's family was Catholic. As a faithful believer, she was praying when she heard God's voice. She pondered over what the great mission was. Nightingale went on a journey to Europe with her family when she was 18 years old. Traveling in a big horse carriage was a great pleasure. She was very happy looking at the endless clear sky. When her family arrived in France, they attended a dancing party where they had a good time. Although everyone in her family enjoyed the party, the voice of God was lingering in Nightingale's mind. I wonder what my mission is. After returning from her long journey, Nightingale heard about her grandmother's critical condition and visited her. She nursed her grandmother carefully with all her heart, and thanks to her careful nursing, her grandmother gradually recovered her health. Okay, I'll study the science of nursing properly. Nightingale told her idea to her parents. That's nonsense. Nursing is not the job of such a noble family as ours. Moreover, hospitals are dirty places, swarming with viruses. Her parents were firm in their opposition to her decision. Her parents sent her on a journey and tried to get her married in order to break her determination, but she held fast to it. Although no one recognized her dream, Secretary of War Sidney Herbert, whom she met during her journey, praised her. The Crimean War broke out between Russia and the Combined Forces of some countries in 1854. The United Kingdom participated in the war as a member of the Combined Forces. Secretary Sidney Herbert thought of Nightingale. Nightingale was appointed as chief nurse for the field hospitals of the British Army on the recommendation of Secretary Herbert. When the news was reported all over the United Kingdom, she became famous in the twinkling of an eye. Nightingale selected a few nurses and went to Turkey with them. There were few nurses who received specialized nursing education at that time, but Nightingale was different from other nurses. After arriving at the Skutari Hospital, Nightingale improved sanitary conditions of the dirty place little by little. She separated and cared for the patients faithfully with all her heart. Patients were moved to tears after being cared for by a nurse for the first time. But not all the people liked Nightingale. Women's social activity was beyond imagination at that time. Still, Nightingale paid no attention to such remark. When there weren't sufficient necessities and medical goods, Nightingale spent her money buying necessary stuffs. Washing clothes and doing the cleaning, she put all her energies into her efforts to keep the field hospitals clean and nurse the patients. The story of Nightingale spread all over the world. Nightingale contracted Crimean fever on a winter day while doing the rounds of field hospitals. All the people were very sad, thinking that she would die. But she narrowly rose from her sickbed after getting over a series of crises that threatened her life. The long war ended and people decided to build a nursing school for Nightingale. Although everyone praised and called her an angel in white, she was always modest. She only worked silently for the purpose of improving the sanitary conditions of hospital rooms and caring for patients carefully. After finishing all her work, Nightingale decided to return to the United Kingdom. On hearing the news, her country sent a warship to her. But she politely declined to use it and quietly returned to her hometown unnoticed. In 1863, Henri Dunant from Switzerland founded the Red Cross, which was designed to treat all the wounded soldiers, regardless of friendly or enemy soldiers. In an address after receiving the first Nobel Peace Prize, Henri Dunant said he had been influenced by Nightingale to set up the organization. Nightingale did the work everyone could do but that no one did. Although she was a member of the nobility, she sacrificed everything personal in order to devote her service and love to others. She is a true angel in white whose name remains forever in the memory of all the people.