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sufficient nurse。 Her sarcasm searched the ranks of the officials

with the deadly and unsparing precision of a machine…gun。 Her

nicknames were terrible。 She respected no one: Lord Stratford;

Lord Raglan; Lady Stratford; Dr。 Andrew Smith; Dr。 Hall; the

Commissary…General; the Purveyorshe fulminated against them

all。 The intolerable futility of mankind obsessed her like a

nightmare; and she gnashed her teeth against it。 'I do well to be

angry;' was the burden of her cry。 'How many just men were there

at Scutari? How many who cared at all for the sick; or had done

anything for their relief? Were there ten? Were there five? Was

there even one?' She could not be sure。



At one time; during several weeks; her vituperations descended

upon the head of Sidney Herbert himself。 He had misinterpreted

her wishes; he had traversed her positive instructions; and it

was not until he had admitted his error and apologised in abject

terms that he was allowed again into favour。 While this

misunderstanding was at its height; an aristocratic young

gentleman arrived at Scutari with a recommendation from the

Minister。 He had come out from England filled with a romantic

desire to render homage to the angelic heroine of his dreams。 He

had; he said; cast aside his life of ease and luxury; he would

devote his days and nights to the service of that gentle lady; he

would perform the most menial offices; he would 'fag' for her; he

would be her footman and feel requited by a single smile。 A

single smile; indeed; he had; but it was of an unexpected kind。

Miss Nightingale at first refused to see him; and then; when she

consented; believing that he was an emissary sent by Sidney

Herbert to put her in the wrong over their dispute; she took

notes of her conversation with him; and insisted on his signing

them at the end of it。 The young gentleman returned to England by

the next ship。



This quarrel with Sidney Herbert was; however; an exceptional

incident。 Alike by him; and by Lord Panmure; his successor at the

War Office; she was firmly supported; and the fact that during

the whole of her stay at Scutari she had the Home Government at

her back; was her trump card in her dealings with the hospital

authorities。 Nor was it only the Government that was behind her:

public opinion in England early recognised the high importance of

her mission; and its enthusiastic appreciation of her work soon

reached an extraordinary height。 The Queen herself was deeply

moved。 She made repeated inquiries as to the welfare of Miss

Nightingale; she asked to see her accounts of the wounded; and

made her the intermediary between the throne and the troops。 'Let

Mrs。 Herbert know;' she wrote to the War Minister; 'that I wish

Miss Nightingale and the ladies would tell these poor noble;

wounded; and sick men that NO ONE takes a warmer interest or

feels MORE for their sufferings or admires their courage and

heroism MORE than their Queen。 Day and night she thinks of her

beloved troops。 So does the Prince。 Beg Mrs。 Herbert to

communicate these my words to those ladies; as I know that our

sympathy is much valued by these noble fellows。' The letter was

read aloud in the wards by the Chaplain。 'It is a very feeling

letter;' said the men。



And so the months passed; and that fell winter which had begun

with Inkerman and had dragged itself out through the long agony

of the investment of Sebastopol; at last was over。 In May; 1855;

after six months of labour; Miss Nightingale could look with

something like satisfaction at the condition of the Scutari

hospitals。 Had they done nothing more than survive the terrible

strain which had been put upon them; it would have been a matter

for congratulation; but they had done much more than that they

had marvellously improved。 The confusion and the pressure in the

wards had come to an end; order reigned in them; and cleanliness;

the supplies were bountiful and prompt; important sanitary works

had been carried out。 One simple comparison of figures was enough



to reveal the extraordinary change: the rate of mortality among

the cases treated had fallen from forty…two percent to twenty…two

per 1;000。 But still; the indefatigable lady was not satisfied。

The main problem had been solved the physical needs of the men

had been provided for; their mental and spiritual needs remained。

She set up and furnished reading…rooms and recreation rooms。 She

started classes and lectures。 Officers were amazed to see her

treating their men as if they were human beings; and assured her

that she would only end by 'spoiling the brutes'。 But that was

not Miss Nightingale's opinion; and she was justified。 The

private soldier began to drink less and even though that seemed

impossible to save his pay。 Miss Nightingale became a banker

for the Army; receiving and sending home large sums of money

every month。 At last; reluctantly; the Government followed suit;

and established machinery of its own for the remission of

money。Lord Panmure; however; remained sceptical; 'it will do no

good;' he pronounced; 'the British soldier is not a remitting

animal。' But; in fact during the next six months £71;000 was sent

home。



Amid all these activities; Miss Nightingale took up the further

task of inspecting the hospitals in the Crimea itself。 The labour

was extreme; and the conditions of life were almost intolerable。

She spent whole days in the saddle; or was driven over those

bleak and rocky heights in a baggage cart。 Sometimes she stood

for hours in the heavily failing snow; and would only reach her

hut at dead of night after walking for miles through perilous

ravines。 Her powers of resistance seemed incredible; but at last

they were exhausted。 She was attacked by fever; and for a moment

came very near to death。 Yet she worked on; if she could not

move; she could at least write; and write she did until her mind

had left her; and after it had left her; in what seemed the

delirious trance of death itself; she still wrote。 When; after

many weeks; she was strong enough to travel; she was implored to

return to England; but she utterly refused。 She would not go

back; she said; before the last of the soldiers had left Scutari。



This happy moment had almost arrived; when suddenly the

smouldering hostilities of the medical authorities burst out into

a flame。 Dr。 Hall's labours had been rewarded by a K。C。B

letters which; as Miss Nightingale told Sidney Herbert; she could

only suppose to mean 'Knight of the Crimean Burial…Grounds' and

the honour had turned his head。 He was Sir John; and he would be

thwarted no longer。 Disputes had lately arisen between Miss

Nightingale and some of the nurses in the Crimean hospitals。 The

situation had been embittered by rumours of religious

dissensions; while the Crimean nurses were Roman Catholics; many

of those at Scutari were suspected of a regrettable propensity

towards the tenets of Dr。 Pusey。 Miss Nightingale was by no means

disturbed by these sectarian differences; but any suggestion that

her supreme authority over all the nurses with the Army was; no

doubt; enough to rouse her to fury; and it appeared that Mrs。

Bridgeman; the Reverend Mother in the Crimea; had ventured to

call that authority in question。 Sir John Hall thought that his

opportunity had come; and strongly supported Mrs。 Bridgeman or;

as Miss Nightingale preferred to call her; the 'Reverend

Brickbat'。



There was a violent struggle; Miss Nightingale's rage was

terrible。 Dr。 Hall; she declared; was doing his best to 'root her

out of the Crimea'。 She would bear it no longer; the War Office

was playing her false; there was only one thing to be done

Sidney Herbert must move for the production of papers in the

House of Commons; so that the public might be able to judge

between her and her enemies。 Sidney Herbert; with great

difficulty; calmed her down。 Orders were immediately dispatched

putting her supremacy beyond doubt; and the Reverend Brickbat

withdrew from the scene。 Sir John; however; was more tenacious。 A

few weeks later; Miss Nightingale and her nurses visited the

Crimea for the last time; and the brilliant idea occurred to him

that he could crush her by a very simple expedient he would

starve her into submission; and he actually ordered that no

rations of any kind should be supplied to her。 He had already

tried this plan with great effect upon an unfortunate medical man

whose presence in the Crimea he had considered an intrusion; but

he was now to learn that such tricks were thrown away upon Miss

Nightingale。 With extraordinary foresight; she had brought with

her a great supply of food; she succeeded in obtaining more at

her own expense and by her own exertions; and thus for ten days;

in that inhospitable country; she was able to feed herself and

twenty…four nurses。 Eventually; the military authorities

intervened in her favour; and Sir John had to confess that he was

beaten。


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