W.E.A. LECTURE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 161, 27 June 1930, Page 6

W.E.A. LECTURE

ADDRESS BY DR. REEVE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. The third of a series of very interesting lectures on “Devils, Drugs, and Doctors” was given under the auspices of the W.E.A. by Dr. Reeve of Havelock North last evening. Having traced the art of medicine from its infancy up to the present day in the two previous lectures, the doctor took as his subject last evening “Great Medical Benefactois ot Recent Years.” Mr. A D Morrison occupied the chair and a good assemblage gathered to hear a most absorbing address, Florence Nightingale, said the lecturer. was the creator of our modern system of trained nursing. Known as the “Lady of the Lamp” from her work in the hospital at Scutari, she was a woman who had given up a life of luxury to occupy one of the greatest hardship. She was of a good family and well-connected, and she had everything in the way of comfort that money could bring This was not what she wanted, however She had from the earliest age felt an urge to nurse, and she began with nursing injured animals. She found an outlet later in spite of tho nrotestation ot her friends who considered that a lady of her station should not degrade herself by such an occupation. She made it her business to visit the shim areas and later obtained a position in a Continental hospital for six months From there she was appointed superintendent of a charitable institution THE CRIMEA. When the Crimean War broke out she volunteeied to look after the sick. Through a friend in the Wai Cabinet she gained het desire, and was sent to a hospital in Scutari, with two personal attendants and thirty eight nurses. Black as were the storier that had been circulated as to the conditions in Scutari, she found them still blacker. There was a shirking of responsibility, and a hopeless lack of competence. She arrived there ten days after the Battle of Balaclava and a few days before Inkerman. APPALLING CONDITIONS. The sick and wounded were conveyed by ship across the Black Sea in batches of 200 under the most appalling conditions. The death rate during the voyage was 74 per 10(10 In bad weather a landing was imoossible, and even in good weather it was a most difficult operation. Once landed they had to be taken up a steep hill three-quarters of a mile long. The hospital wps a barracks with sewers flowing underneath it. There were four miles of bods in it. The floors were so rotten than they sometimes gave way. They could not be scrubbed. Sheets were made of rough canvas and lighting was effected by means of candles stuck in beer-bottles. Medical apparatus was at a minimum and the total number of shirts washed before she arrived was feven. Dr Hall, who was in charge was sent out from India and the Purveyor was a man hide-bound with red tape PERSONAL SACRIFICES. Florence Nightingale spent £7,000 out ot her own pocket to provide equipment for the hospital on her way out. A proposal to organise a fund for assistance was refused at Home and hei efforts were jeered at. She gradually ousted this red-tape and taking the law into her own hand) she proceeded to gather equipment m the teeth of Army officialdom. At hei own expense she converted a nearby Turkish house into a great washhouse for the linen of the soldiers. She made great improvements in theii food and finding the men insufficiently clothed she apnroached the Purveyor who informed her that ths regulation was that soldiers had to bring in their own clothing. In spite of this by the liberal use of her own purse she continued to make great improvements although at every turn she was confronted by the most stupid and dilatory Government regulations. A STRONG WOMAN. A later engagement necessitated the enlargement of the hospital and such was the red-tape in existence then that Florence Nightingale was forced to bully the authorities into engaging 125 men on the work. Through official incompetency these men struck, and using her own money again she engaged a further 200 She «ar idolised by the soldiers but with the incompetent officials she was not. of course, popular. Hei work was finally recognised bv Queen Victoria who sent her a letter of thanks. She reduced the death rate in the hospital from 42 per cent, to 2 per cent. She then endeavoured to form Savings Bank for the soldiers which was looked on with disfavour at Home. However she was able to send away £21,000 in savings in six months.

Later she was taken ill with fever and almost died and to his everlasting shame the superintendent did his level best to starve her out of the hospital. Later he was awarded the K C. 8.. which letters Florence Nightingale cynically translated as “Knight of the Crimean Burialgrounds.’' After the Crimean War she returned to England and set about reforming the army hospital system. She found out that in war-time the mortality rata amongst the soldiers was double that in civil life. With the aid of many influential friends she set about appointing a Royal Commission to enquire into the army medical system. Blocked by Lord Panmure, who was afraid that the true (onditioi of affairs in Scutari would be exposed she threatened him with the publication of, her own experiences there and lie was forced to give way. As a result the Commission sat and from that date a gradual improvement was effected in the hospitals throughout England. It was also her ambition to reform the War Office but in this she failed. She continued to interest herself in hospital work until her death in 1910 at the age of 91 years. A few years before she died she was awarded the Orde’ of Merit a fitting recognition of a brave and noble woman. The lecture concluded with a vote ot thanks to the lecturer and to the chairman.