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they could find among the miserable band of convalescent soldiers
drafted off to tend their sick comrades； they were faced with
disease； mutilation； and death in all their most appalling forms；
crowded multitudinously about them in an ever…increasing mass。
They were like men in a shipwreck； fighting； not for safety； but
for the next moment's bare existence to gain； by yet another
frenzied effort； some brief respite from the waters of
destruction。
In these surroundings； those who had been long inured to scenes
of human suffering surgeons with a world…wide knowledge of
agonies； soldiers familiar with fields of carnage； missionaries
with remembrances of famine and of plague yet found a depth of
horror which they had never known before。 There were moments；
there were places； in the Barrack Hospital at Scutari； where the
strongest hand was struck with trembling； and the boldest eye
would turn away its gaze。
Miss Nightingale came； and she； at any rate； in that inferno； did
not abandon hope。 For one thing； she brought material succour。
Before she left London she had consulted Dr。 Andrew Smith； the
head of the Army Medical Board； as to whether it would be useful
to take out stores of any kind to Scutari； and Dr。 Andrew Smith
had told her that 'nothing was needed'。 Even Sidney Herbert had
given her similar assurances； possibly； owing to an oversight；
there might have been some delay in the delivery of the medical
stores； which； he said； had been sent out from England 'in
profusion'； but 'four days would have remedied this'。 She
preferred to trust her own instincts； and at Marseilles purchased
a large quantity of miscellaneous provisions； which were of the
utmost use at Scutari。 She came； too； amply provided with money
in all； during her stay in the East； about ￡7；000 reached her
from private sources； and； in addition； she was able to avail
herself of another valuable means of help。
At the same time as herself； Mr。 Macdonald； of The Times； had
arrived at Scutari； charged with the duty of administering the
large sums of money collected through the agency of that
newspaper in aid of the sick and wounded； and Mr。 Macdonald had
the sense to see that the best use he could make of The Times
Fund was to put it at the disposal of Miss Nightingale。 'I cannot
conceive；' wrote an eye…witness； 'as I now calmly look back on
the first three weeks after the arrival of the wounded from
Inkerman； how it could have been possible to have avoided a state
of things too disastrous to contemplate； had not Miss Nightingale
been there； with the means placed at her disposal by Mr。
Macdonald。' But the official view was different。 What！ Was the
public service to admit； by accepting outside charity； that it
was unable to discharge its own duties without the assistance of
private and irregular benevolence？ Never！ And accordingly when
Lord Stratford de Redcliffe； our ambassador at Constantinople；
was asked by Mr。 Macdonald to indicate how The Times Fund could
best be employed； he answered that there was indeed one object to
which it might very well be devoted the building of an English
Protestant Church at Pera。
Mr。 Macdonald did not waste further time with Lord Stratford； and
immediately joined forces with Miss Nightingale。 But； with such a
frame of mind in the highest quarters； it is easy to imagine the
kind of disgust and alarm with which the sudden intrusion of a
band of amateurs and females must have filled the minds of the
ordinary officer and the ordinary military surgeon。 They could
not understand it what had women to do with war？ Honest
Colonels relieved their spleen by the cracking of heavy jokes
about 'the Bird'； while poor Dr。 Hall； a rough terrier of a man；
who had worried his way to the top of his profession； was struck
speechless with astonishment； and at last observed that Miss
Nightingale's appointment was extremely droll。
Her position was； indeed； an official one； but it was hardly the
easier for that。 In the hospitals it was her duty to provide the
services of herself and her nurses when they were asked for by
the doctors； and not until then。 At first some of the surgeons
would have nothing to say to her； and； though she was welcomed by
others； the majority were hostile and suspicious。 But gradually
she gained ground。 Her good will could not be denied； and her
capacity could not be disregarded。 With consummate tact； with all
the gentleness of supreme strength； she managed at last to impose
her personality upon the susceptible； overwrought； discouraged；
and helpless group of men in authority who surrounded her。 She
stood firm； she was a rock in the angry ocean； with her alone was
safety； comfort； life。 And so it was that hope dawned at Scutari。
The reign of chaos and old night began to dwindle； order came
upon the scene； and common sense； and forethought； and decision；
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 su