Depth 2: The Crimean War (Nightingale and Seacole) Flashcards
Who was Florence Nightingale?
She came from a wealthy family and was well-educated. She went to Germany to train as a nurse and took up a senior nursing position in 1853.
She was friends with the minister for war, Sidney Herbert, who asked her to lead a team of volunteer nurses in Scutari.
What were the problems at the Scutari hospital?
- The Army prioritised fighting men over wounded. Medical staff and equipment were low priority, and hospital ships were often cleared to act as a troop transporter.
- Veterans were drafted in as stretcher bearers and orderlies, and many got sick.
- The Scutari ‘hospital was a former Turkish barracks.
- There was a bizarre idea that sick men would nurse each other back to health.
What did Nightingale and her nurses do when they arrived at Scutari?
Reorganised the kitchen and improved food quality, cleaned the wards and strove to provide clean bed-linens. She arranged a school room and a library, and sent men with minor wounds to grow vegetables. She worked long hours, known as the ‘lady with the lamp.’
Was Nightingale’s approach popular during the Crimean War?
YES: Her work was popular in Britain, and she was deemed a national hero. She was often featured in the newspapers, inspired Victorian women, and The Times raised £30,000 for medical supplies.
NO: Male doctors felt isolated by her tough approach. Dr. Hall tried to get the nurses sent back. Men saw the arrival of nurses as a criticism. Another female nurse, Mary Clayton, remarked on the hostile environment in the hospital, saying that nobody was trustworthy.
What did the Sanitary Commission think about Scutari and what did it imply about Nightingale?
They found the conditions at Scutari to be poor. They ordered rubbish cleared, dead animals removed and walls whitewashed. Most doctors and nurses, including Nightingale, didn’t understand how infection worked and many believed in miasma.
This shows that Nightingale was likely not the most significant medical reformer during the Crimean War, although she did welcome the changes and also welcomed a professional cook.
What can be concluded about the impact of Nightingale in Scutari alone?
Many argue that, whilst the McNeill-Tulloch Report backed her methods and ideas up, the report arguably had a bigger impact in Scutari. Nightingale’s changes to food, bedding and organisation were significant, but she didn’t understand disease and infection, and she was presiding over a difficult medical situation. Many men were beyond help, and the death toll increased under her supervision.
What was Nightingale’s lasting legacy?
When she returned from Crimea, she argued for a full enquiry.
A £45,000 fund was raised, somewhat inspired by Nightingale, to train nurses.
‘Nightingale Ward’ design became standard.
In 1859, she published ‘Notes on Nursing’, a guide to nurse training still in print today.
Her use of patient mortality statistics was recognised by the Royal Statistical Society.
The Florence Nightingale Foundation continues to this day.
Who was Mary Seacole?
She was Jamaican, and her mother was a local healer who used folk medicine and taught her daughter. She married and kept a store with her husband until he died. She ran multiple hotels, remaining a nurse and healer. She was even called back by Jamaican authorities to treat an outbreak of yellow fever; this shows she was recognised as a medical practitioner.
How did Seacole reach the Crimea?
Initially, she travelled to London after hearing a call for nurses. She met Nightingale’s assistant, but was rejected, possibly because of her race.
In 1855, she sailed to the Crimea to join an old business partner, Thomas Day. She once again offered to help Nightingale but was turned down, so she continued with her business venture.
What was Seacole and Day’s ‘British Hotel’?
It opened in the Spring of 1855.
It was part hotel, part store, and part clinic.
Soldiers could go for food that was hot and more delicious than the rations, including luxuries like salmon and chicken. It provided shelter and warmth. No gambling was allowed, and it closed at 8pm.
Seacole often prescribed folk medicines to her customers, and she had more experience dealing with disease than army surgeons.
What are some examples of Seacole being actively involved in the events of the Crimean War?
She often delivered supplies to troops at their camps on mules. She treated the wounded and dying, and watched the allied attacks on Sevastopol, reportedly being the first woman on the allied side who entered the city after the Russians withdrew.
How did Seacole and Nightingale’s legacies differ?
- Whereas Nightingale received great publicity at home, Seacole was largely forgotten about after the war.
- Seacole was not well-compensated for her work, and her tombstone only says ‘a notable nurse.’
- Some argue that Seacole shouldn’t be remembered as a nurse, as her work went far beyond that.
How are Seacole and Nightingale’s legacies similar?
- They made nursing more respectable as a profession. Before their work, nurses were seem as drunks or criminals.
- They were both extremely talented. Nightingale was trained in Germany, and Seacole had lots of practical experience.
- They are now both remembered in relation to the Crimean War.
