Photograph of Florence Nightingale and a lock of her hair in a wooden frame
1854-1870
Photograph, possibly of a painting of Florence Nightingale, and a lock of her hair, framed, c1854-1870
Florence Nightingale is one of the most famous women in Victorian medicine. Although she is best remembered for her work during the Crimean War (1853-56), Nightingale fundamentally changed the role of nursing in hospitals, and was a key figure in introducing new professional training standards.
In late 1854, following reports about the dreadful conditions and lack of medical supplies affecting injured soldiers fighting the Crimean War, Nightingale was invited by the Secretary of War to oversee the introduction of female nurses into military hospitals in Turkey. Formulating her own theories around infection, Nightingale worked to drastically reduce the numbers of soldiers dying from illnesses such as typhus, caused by poor standards of cleanliness.
Details
- Category:
- Nursing & Hospital Furnishings
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A233179
- Materials:
- paper, wood, glass and human hair
- Measurements:
-
Frame: 170 mm x 132 mm x 17 mm, .16 kg
- type:
- human hair, photograph and human remains
- credit:
- Wellcome Trust
