eminent victorians-第32章

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radiating　out　from　the　little　room　off　the　great　gallery　in　the

Barrack　Hospital　where；　day　and　night；　the　Lady　Superintendent

was　at　her　task。　Progress　might　be　slow；　but　it　was　sure。



The　first　sign　of　a　great　change　came　with　the　appearance　of　some

of　those　necessary　objects　with　which　the　hospitals　had　been

unprovided　for　months。　The　sick　men　began　to　enjoy　the　use　of

towels　and　soap；　knives　and　forks；　combs　and　tooth…brushes。　Dr。

Hall　might　snort　when　he　heard　of　it；　asking；　with　a　growl；　what

a　soldier　wanted　with　a　tooth…brush；　but　the　good　work　went　on。

Eventually　the　whole　business　of　purveying　to　the　hospitals　was；

in　effect；　carried　out　by　Miss　Nightingale。　She　alone；　it　seemed。

whatever　the　contingency；　knew　where　to　lay　her　hands　on　what　was

wanted；　she　alone　could　dispense　her　stores　with　readiness；　above



all；　she　alone　possessed　the　art　of　circumventing　the　pernicious

influences　of　official　etiquette。　This　was　her　greatest　enemy；

and　sometimes　even　she　was　baffled　by　it。　On　one　occasion　27；000

shirts；　sent　out　at　her　instance　by　the　Home　Government；　arrived；

were　landed；　and　were　only　waiting　to　be　unpacked。　But　the

official　'Purveyor'　intervened；　'he　could　not　unpack　them；'　he

said；　'with　out　a　Board。'　Miss　Nightingale　pleaded　in　vain；　the

sick　and　wounded　lay　half…naked　shivering　for　want　of　clothing；

and　three　weeks　elapsed　before　the　Board　released　the　shirts。　A

little　later；　however；　on　a　similar　occasion；　Miss　Nightingale

felt　that　she　could　assert　her　own　authority。　She　ordered　a

Government　consignment　to　be　forcibly　opened　while　the　miserable

'Purveyor'　stood　by；　wringing　his　hands　in　departmental　agony。



Vast　quantities　of　valuable　stores　sent　from　England　lay；　she

found；　engulfed　in　the　bottomless　abyss　of　the　Turkish　Customs

House。　Other　ship…loads；　buried　beneath　munitions　of　war　destined

for　Balaclava；　passed　Scutari　without　a　sign；　and　thus　hospital

materials　were　sometimes　carried　to　and　fro　three　times　over　the

Black　Sea；　before　they　reached　their　destination。　The　whole

system　was　clearly　at　fault；　and　Miss　Nightingale　suggested　to

the　home　authorities　that　a　Government　Store　House　should　be

instituted　at　Scutari　for　the　reception　and　distribution　of　the

consignments。　Six　months　after　her　arrival　this　was　done。



In　the　meantime；　she　had　reorganised　the　kitchens　and　the

laundries　in　the　hospitals。　The　ill…cooked　hunks　of　meat；　vilely

served　at　irregular　intervals；　which　had　hitherto　been　the　only

diet　for　the　sick　men；　were　replaced　by　punctual　meals；　well…

prepared　and　appetising；　while　strengthening　extra　foods　soups

and　wines　and　jellies　（'preposterous　luxuries'；　snarled　Dr。　Hall）

were　distributed　to　those　who　needed　them。　One　thing；　however；

she　could　not　effect。　The　separation　of　the　bones　from　the　meat

was　no　part　of　official　cookery：　the　rule　was　that　the　food　must

be　divided　into　equal　portions；　and　if　some　of　the　portions　were

all　bone　well；　every　man　must　take　his　chance。　The　rule；

perhaps；　was　not　a　very　good　one；　but　there　it　was。　'It　would

require　a　new　Regulation　of　the　Service；'　she　was　told；　'to　bone

the　meat。'　As　for　the　washing　arrangements；　they　were

revolutionised。　Up　to　the　time　of　Miss　Nightingale's　arrival；　the

number　of　shirts　the　authorities　had　succeeded　in　washing　was

seven。　The　hospital　bedding；　she　found；　was　'washed'　in　cold

water。　She　took　a　Turkish　house；　had　boilers　installed；　and

employed　soldiers'　wives　to　do　the　laundry　work。　The　expenses

were　defrayed　from　her　own　funds　and　that　of　The　Times；　and

henceforward；　the　sick　and　wounded　had　the　comfort　of　clean

linen。



Then　she　turned　her　attention　to　their　clothing。　Owing　to

military　exigencies；　the　greater　number　of　the　men　had　abandoned

their　kit；　their　knapsacks　were　lost　forever；　they　possessed

nothing　but　what　was　on　their　persons；　and　that　was　usually　only

fit　for　speedy　destruction。　The　'Purveyor'；　of　course；　pointed

out　that；　according　to　the　regulations；　all　soldiers　should　bring

with　them　into　hospital　an　adequate　supply　of　clothing；　and　he

declared　that　it　was　no　business　of　his　to　make　good　their

deficiencies。　Apparently；　it　was　the　business　of　Miss

Nightingale。　She　procured　socks；　boots；　and　shirts　in　enormous

quantities；　she　had　trousers　made；　she　rigged　up　dressing…gowns。

'The　fact　is；'　she　told　Sidney　Herbert；　I　am　now　clothing　the

British　Army。'



All　at　once；　word　came　from　the　Crimea　that　a　great　new

contingent　of　sick　and　wounded　might　shortly　be　expected。　Where

were　they　to　go？　Every　available　inch　in　the　wards　was　occupied；

the　affair　was　serious　and　pressing；　and　the　authorities　stood

aghast。　There　were　some　dilapidated　rooms　in　the　Barrack

Hospital；　unfit　for　human　habitation；　but　Miss　Nightingale

believed　that　if　measures　were　promptly　taken　they　might　be　made

capable　of　accommodating　several　hundred　beds。　One　of　the　doctors

agreed　with　her；　the　rest　of　the　officials　were　irresolute　it

would　be　a　very　expensive　job；　they　said；　it　would　involve

building；　and　who　could　take　the　responsibility？　The　proper

course　was　that　a　representation　should　be　made　to　the　Director…

General　of　the　Army　Medical　Department　in　London；　then　the

Director…General　would　apply　to　the　Horse　Guards；　the　Horse

Guards　would　move　the　Ordnance；　the　Ordnance　would　lay　the　matter

before　the　Treasury；　and；　if　the　Treasury　gave　its　consent；　the

work　might　be　correctly　carried　through；　several　months　after　the

necessity　for　it　had　disappeared。　Miss　Nightingale；　however；　had

made　up　her　mind；　and　she　persuaded　Lord　Stratford　or　thought

she　had　persuaded　him　to　give　his　sanction　to　the　required

expenditure。　One　hundred　and　twenty…five　workmen　were　immediately

engaged；　and　the　work　was　begun。　The　workmen　struck；　whereupon

Lord　Stratford　washed　his　hands　of　the　whole　business。　Miss

Nightingale　engaged　200　other　workmen　on　her　own　authority；　and

paid　the　bill　out　of　her　own　resources。　The　wards　were　ready　by

the　required　date；　500　sick　men　were　received　in　them；　and　all

the　utensils；　including　knives；　forks；　spoons；　cans　and　towels；

were　supplied　by　Miss　Nightingale。



This　remarkable　woman　was　in　truth　performing　the　function　of　an

administrative　chief。　How　had　this　come　about？　　Was　she　not　in

reality　merely　a　nurse？　Was　it　not　her　duty　simply　to　tend　the

sick？　And　indeed；　was　it　not　as　a　ministering　angel；　a　gentle

'lady　with　a　lamp'；　that　she　actually　impressed　the　minds　of　her

contemporaries？　No　doubt　that　was　so；　and　yet　it　is　no　less

certain　that；　as　she　herself　said；　the　specific　business　of

nursing　was　'the　least　important　of　the　functions　into　which　she

had　been　forced'。　It　was　clear　that　in　the　state　of

disorganisation　into　which　the　hospitals　at　Scutari　had　fallen；

the　most　pressing；　the　really　vital；　need　was　for　something　more

than　nursing；　it　was　for　the　necessary　elements　of　civilised

life　the　commonest　material　objects；　the　most　ordinary

cleanliness；　the　rudimentary　habits　of　order　and　authority。　'Oh；

dear　Miss　Nightingale；'　said　one　of　her　party　as　they　were

approaching　Constantinople；　'when　we　land；　let　there　be　no

delays；　let　us　get　straight　to　nursing　the　poor　fellows！'　'The

strongest　will　be　wanted　at　the　wash…tub；'　was　Miss　Nightingale's

answer。　And　it　was　upon　the　wash…tub；　and　all　that　the　wash…tub

stood　for；　that　she　expended　her　greatest　energies。　Yet　to　say

that；　is　perhaps　to　say　too　much。　For　to　those　who　watched　her　at

work　among　the　sick；　moving　day　and　night　from　bed　to　bed；　with

that　unflinching　courage；　with　that　indefatigable　vigilance；　it

seemed　as　if　the　concentrated　force　of　an　undivided　and

unparalleled　devotion　could　hardly　suffice　for　that　portion　of

her　task　alone。



Wherever；　in　those　vast　wards；　suffering　was　at　its　worst　and　the

need　for　help　was　greatest；　there；　as　if　by　magic；　was　Miss

Nightingale。　Her　superhuman　equanimity　would；　at　the　moment　of

some　ghastly　operation；　nerve　the　victim　to　en