Identifier: nightingalebiography00math (find matches)
Title: Florence Nightingale : a biography
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Matheson, Annie, 1853-
Subjects: Nightingale, Florence, 1820-1910 Evatt, George Joseph Hamilton, b. 1843 Nurses
Publisher: London Edinburgh New York : Thomas Nelson and Sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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t speak with cogency of thestate of the air which she herself had to breathe ;she could not be bidden to acquiesce if the bedsshe approached were impure ; she could scarcelybe held to silence if the diet she had been toldto administer were not forthcoming ; and, what-ever her orders, she could hardly be expected togive a sufferer food which she perceived to bebad or unfit. If the males * did not quite under-stand the peculiar contrivances fitted for thepreparation of hospital diet, might she not,perhaps, disclose her own knowledge, and showthem what to do ? Or, if they could not betaught, or imagined that they had not the powerto do what was needed, might not she herselfcompass her object by using the resources whichshe had at command ? Might not she herselffound and organize the requisite kitchens, whenshe knew that the difference between fit andunfit food was one of life and death to thesoldier ? And again, if she chose, might she * Kinglakes Invasion of the Crimea, vol. vi. p. 426.
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:3 o bX) fe o FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. 193 not expend her own resources in striving againstthe foul poisons that surrounded our prostratesoldiery ? Rather, far, than that even one manshould suffer from those cruel wants which shegenerously chose to supply, it was well that theState should be humbled, and submit to the tauntwhich accused it of taking alms from her hand. If we learnt that the cause of the evils afflict-ing our Levantine hospitals was a want ofimpelling and of governing power, we now seehow the want was supplied. In the absenceof all constituted authority proving equal to theemergency, there was need—dire need—of afirm, well-intentioned usurper ; but amongst themales acting at Scutari there was no one withthat resolute will, overstriding law, habit, andcustom, which the cruel occasion required ; foreven Dr. MGregor, whose zeal and abilitieswere admirable, omitted to lay hold, dictatorially,of that commanding authority which—becausehis chief could not wield it—had fa

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