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A Brief History of Florence Nightingale: and Her Real Legacy, a Revolution in Public Health
Praise for Small's earlier work on 'Hugh Small, in a masterly piece of historical detective work, convincingly demonstrates what all previous historians and biographers have missed . . . This is a compelling psychological portrait of a very eminent (and complex) Victorian.'
James Le Fanu, Daily Telegraph
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) is best known as a reformer of hospital nursing during and after the Crimean War, but many feel that her nursing reputation has been overstated.
A Brief History of Florence Nightingale tells the story of the sanitary disaster in her wartime hospital and why the government covered it up against her wishes. After the war she worked to put the lessons of the tragedy to good use to reduce the very high mortality from epidemic disease in the civilian population at home. She did this by persuading Parliament in 1872 to pass laws which required landlords to improve sanitation in working-class homes, and to give local authorities rather than central government the power to enforce the laws. Life expectancy increased dramatically as a result, and it was this peacetime civilian public health reform rather than her wartime hospital nursing record that established Nightingale's reputation in her lifetime.
After her death the wartime image became popular again as a means of recruiting hospital nurses and her other achievements were almost forgotten. Today, with nursing's new emphasis on 'primary' care and prevention outside hospitals, Nightingale's focus on public health achievements makes her an increasingly relevant figure.
James Le Fanu, Daily Telegraph
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) is best known as a reformer of hospital nursing during and after the Crimean War, but many feel that her nursing reputation has been overstated.
A Brief History of Florence Nightingale tells the story of the sanitary disaster in her wartime hospital and why the government covered it up against her wishes. After the war she worked to put the lessons of the tragedy to good use to reduce the very high mortality from epidemic disease in the civilian population at home. She did this by persuading Parliament in 1872 to pass laws which required landlords to improve sanitation in working-class homes, and to give local authorities rather than central government the power to enforce the laws. Life expectancy increased dramatically as a result, and it was this peacetime civilian public health reform rather than her wartime hospital nursing record that established Nightingale's reputation in her lifetime.
After her death the wartime image became popular again as a means of recruiting hospital nurses and her other achievements were almost forgotten. Today, with nursing's new emphasis on 'primary' care and prevention outside hospitals, Nightingale's focus on public health achievements makes her an increasingly relevant figure.
- GenresHistory
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 14, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 5, 2020
Hugh Small's "A Brief History of Florence Nightingale: And Her Real Legacy, a Revolution in Public Health." A book that covers human flaw, political propaganda, frustrations, triumph, change, and truth. A tour to an incredible social movement causing the overhaul in sanitation in England by a woman turned God's pioneer, Florence Nightingale. Demystifying the truth of her work not only in the Crimea War and Public Health reforms but of her identity and philosophy driving her every move. Historical prose mixed with subjective inquiry to the emotion and the mental state of Nightingale.
Notable quote: "God's laws are the origin of moral, as of physical evil - that it is so is part of His righteous rule. Through them, by our mistakes, we find truth; by our errors, knowledge; by our sufferings, happiness; by our evil, good."
Notable quote: "God's laws are the origin of moral, as of physical evil - that it is so is part of His righteous rule. Through them, by our mistakes, we find truth; by our errors, knowledge; by our sufferings, happiness; by our evil, good."
December 12, 2020
Looking for a biography of an innovator, self conscious, pro education, change maker, empowered woman? Then you NEED to read the story of Florence Nightingale.
From the title we can imply that Nightingale will be portrayed more as conducting Public Health revolution in England, than their contribution to nursing; which is the best approach we can expect. She was a real change maker. Beyond the public concept of her, Hugh Small showed us a real Florence. With questions, doubts, weaknesses and challenges that make her actions and thoughts more admirable.
The book is well documented and in times of COVID19 should be more understood, as we most need to know about public health, epidemics and sanitation. However, it lost me a bit on the historic chapters (enjoyed more when was more focused on her thoughts and experience than when focused on the war and its protagonists)
From the title we can imply that Nightingale will be portrayed more as conducting Public Health revolution in England, than their contribution to nursing; which is the best approach we can expect. She was a real change maker. Beyond the public concept of her, Hugh Small showed us a real Florence. With questions, doubts, weaknesses and challenges that make her actions and thoughts more admirable.
The book is well documented and in times of COVID19 should be more understood, as we most need to know about public health, epidemics and sanitation. However, it lost me a bit on the historic chapters (enjoyed more when was more focused on her thoughts and experience than when focused on the war and its protagonists)
January 28, 2023
This book had very interesting points however it became hard work in the last chapter. I still enjoyed it
February 11, 2025
Well written and a lot of information showing an insight into how hard she had to work for her cause
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews