Books for Study and Leisure Hours

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VII, Issue 3, 1 July 1914, Page 142

Books for Study and Leisure Hours

The Life of Florence Nightingale by Sir Edward Cook. This is a book all nurses should read. The personality and story of Florence Nightingale has for the present generation of nurses assumed almost a mythical character, unreal and wonderful, almost superhuman m fact.

To read this history, is to be introduced to the woman m an intimate way, which by gradually unfolding her different traits of character and all that led up to her great achievements, not only m the Crimean War, but m her after efforts for the betterment of the conditions of the soldiers of Britain, leads one more and more to admiration and appreciation. It has been said, and said truly, that Florence Nightingale had opportunities such as fall to the lot of few women. Yes, but she also had the capable mind to seize these opportunities and the womanly feeling heart to turn them not to her own advantage, but to the advantage of those who sorely needed help. Great as was her influence it was not merely family influence it was her own personal imagination and insight which allowed her to do so much.

For nurses, of course, the fact that Miss Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing, the creator of nursing as a trained profession, is the most interesting part of her career, and we would advise all nurses to read this book. In 1861 the training of nurses was first considered at St. Bartholomews. We would like to give some extracts but owing to lack of space m this quarter's Journal and the fact that it is almost ready to issue, we must defer this to the October number. The opening of St. Thomas' Hospital as a training school, m 1860, with fifteen probationers pledged to a years' course of instruction was the real commencement of systematic training.

' The Heart of Marylebone," by ' Handasyde." — This little book is one which many nurses would be much interested m reading. It must surely have been written by someone "m the know "

— one, we think, who must have appreciated the care and kindness of her nurses. " There was not a thing that Wilder and Terry could do that they did not do. They knew what was best and they knew how to do it. It was all m the day's work — so it might be ! — but, if so, all the more wonder that the work of the day had not become a routine." ' They never got tired, marvellous great kindness m a strange city." " Sister Leslie would never pass by on the other side. The case might be a physical one, or someone fallen among thieves — it was all the same to her." "She could hurt without giving pain, and heal while she was hurting." ' This is the person who binds up the wounds that do not show who really helps you to live. Sister Leslie bound up wounds not only with her hands, but with her heart." Then the description of the nursing home routine. " A shadow hung over the house, and yet the dawn was always breaking ; then the shadow fled away, for someone who was better had got up and gone with the sunrise. So it was with the ceaseless routine of the surgeon, who came about his business early m the morning, who grew grave with humanity through the fretful hours of the long noon, till at length the quiet sunset came, when he smiled, for the sojourn was ended. Then the day dr,wned, and the victim who was released left his all behind him. This was never behind the doctor ; he began it all over again. The patience of the nurses who always seemed to care, the power of the physician who always seemed to know — these and the flowers did what they could to hold the shadow at bay. In all Marylebone there was no house so full of flowers, the}' bloomed from floor to ceiling and made a fresco round the four walls, and at night they went m a refulgent border up and down the staircase and along the corridor — the flowers performed their own mission, but the spirit of devotion was the guardian angel of the place. Here people love one another as they seldom love elsewhere ; it is worse when one has to stand by and watch than to suffer oneself."