CHAPTER IV

THE NIGHTINGALE NURSES (1860-1861)

Importance of the Nightingale Training School--Early history of the "Nightingale Fund"--Accumulation of the money during Miss Nightingale's absorption in other work--Appointment of a working committee (1859)--Decision to found a Training School in connexion with St. Thomas's Hospital--Character of Mrs. Wardroper, matron of the hospital. II. Essential principles of Miss Nightingale's scheme: (1) technical, a Training School; lectures, examinations, reports, etc.; (2) moral, a home. III. Miss Nightingale's supervision--Favourable start of the school. IV. Further application of the Nightingale Fund to the training of midwives. V. Wide influence of the Nightingale School--Novelty of the experiment--Medical opposition at the start--From paradox to commonplace 456