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The. Odd thing this. Day my jaw much in the times you know on US list although it you won't believe it. Order of Merit awarded to Florence Nightingale. Read Why do you think she deserves it. Yards what I mean to say she can't be alive after all this is the twentieth century nineteen or seven you know. Florence Nightingale. Why she's Crimean wall charge of the Light Brigade hold it for what she did to improve military hospitals. Soldiers worshipped even in my Army days. Emily get a glass of the old pot after dinner tonight. Bed for me I know but I dare say there is an old soldier in the Empire who won't drink a toast to our loans.
Nightingale. God bless. The American hospital supply corporation presents as a public service march of some episodes in the history of hospitals and the people who work in them to protect your health. My story the angel of the Crimea. Good evening. This is Paul Byron. I am speaking to you from a great hospital immaculately clean wonderfully equipped well staffed as unlike the hospitals in which Florence Nightingale first worked as anyone could imagine. I should like to introduce you to our guest Dr. J Roscoe Miller president of Northwestern University and former dean of the Northwestern University Medical School a man who knows a great deal about the dedicated effort which has gone into the making of our great modern hospitals. Dr. Miller American hospitals have reached a new stage in their development.
Not long ago doctors were too often defeated by purely medical problems. We did not have the operator to take weeks or medicines necessary to treat our patients adequately. But now many of these basic problems have been solved. Hospital personnel have available equipment and a store of knowledge concerning the treatment of disease which have simply never existed before. And new research adds constantly to our efficiency. We owe a debt of gratitude to the devoted pioneers who have so improved hospital care in so short a time. Thank you Dr. Miller from an American hospital of the 1960s to the best hospital anywhere in 1844 from the bright young student nurses of today to Florence Nightingale that disastrous occasion when she told her parents that she had a vocation in life to nurse the sick. This is an incredibly long journey. Let's just step into that scene and Miss Nightingale's life
and I'll try to show you how her father reacted. I'm terribly sorry to upset your father. Sorry. Upset I don't talk of my house like D.L. we did so hope fine marriage you know we could have such splendid prospects. I love Richard Matt but then surely you can't no gentleman would marry here. I am determined to be a nest. I have a vocation. But the article told you that marriage is a woman's vocation. Telling the girl anything a woman of twenty four who gets messages directly from heaven I can then non-conformist don't expect. I know that nurses are nothing but a pack of drunken by plain sight. Anyway we will talk to her if she comes to how to change it but of course. Your father is outspoken Florence but it is the truth I am not a drunkard Matthew.
That's probably obvious surely you won't insult me by my dear girl. But in any case I will be i ness. I must. That was in 1844. It was not until 1851 after seven years of unhappiness and struggle that Florence Nightingale found the opportunity to learn the profession of nursing. In that year she joined a group of Protestant deaconesses at Kaiser Germany two years later. Her career really began with a letter from England. I'm actually afraid to open it just then I would be brave for you give me that letter. Setia it is easy read it just because my poor english then have very very I think I got the English name please what you did say. Oh if it's owned up
on my chat and cancel on that you are to take charge of a small asteroid lawn on Harley Street in London. It is the institution for the kaos it here. Better you laid it in the institution for the care of sick gentle women in distress check and stances. It is rather a mouthful isn't it. But oh how hot it is how. Overlit my leap of skin we shall miss you here my child I'm sorry to seem so happy sister I sure miss you all of you. But this is what I want what we want isn't it. Now I think it is what God once too I think you will do great good in Holly's study. The institution in Harveys was Florence Nightingales first great success
a success so remarkable that only a year later she found us off summoned to the offices of Sidney Herbert then Secretary for War in the British Cabinet. Mr. Hood a distinguished but much worried man greeted her politely. Your servant Miss Nightingale Mr. Secretary. Please accept my apologies for summoning elated to come to me. But you will understand we hardly have time for the amenities miss to have it. Thank you thank you. Anyway in March of this year. Her Majesty has government declared war upon Russia and subsequently sent an expeditionary force into the Crimea. There have been some successes but also one of two frightful disasters especially in the public eye can see the latest of which I judge is the revelation of the dreadful state of British military hospitals. You positively read my thoughts Miss Nightingale miss the special correspondent for The Times. Did this government know great service when he published his shocking account of how a wounded a kid. Did he tell the truth. I fear that he did. I assure you even I
was not aware of these conditions and it happened no matter. That brings me to my business with you Miss Nightingale which no doubt you have already anticipated. Kenu sailed for the Crimea at once. Guy. I'm Don Ameche it is my pleasure to be in your company tonight and to remind you that hospitals throughout this country are urgently in need of trained professional personnel. Last year nursing schools graduated 3000 more nurses than they did a year earlier and more than five hundred eighty two thousand nurses are now practicing in the United States. This may sound like an impressive number but more and more nurses are still needed. If patients are to receive adequate care someone once said living for others is really living. And I would like to take this occasion to encourage young women
to make a career of nursing. It's a rewarding profession. And let me repeat the need is great as a tribute to Florence Nightingale whose life was being dramatized on this program and it has been an inspiration to many thousands in the past. Let me urge you to enquire as to what steps you should take to enrich and ennoble your lives through living for others. In this bright modern hospital there are occasional echoes of times past only a moment ago standing here I saw a young man in uniform. He had campaigned ribbons on his blouse and he walked with a cane. He caught me staring at him and said Quite a place isn't it. It certainly is. You're not a patient. No no no just just a visiting hero friend. They let me out of the naval hospital a week
ago. See I got hit by one of those Cong mortars off in the boondocks 30 some pieces of shrapnel in me. You know what would have happened to me not so many years ago. Infection I suppose loss of blood. Right. If the shock didn't get me the gangrene what. Well I hardly hit the deck before there's a corpsman workin on me. I get the latest drugs I get plasma half an hour later there's a chopper to take me to a base hospital. Two days after that I'm back in the states where they have stuff that nobody ever heard of to fix me up. I can see why you're enthusiastic. Listen I heard somebody say that if you get hit in this war and don't get killed right off you got better than nine chances in 10 to beat the rap. And you know I believe it better than nine chances in 10 to get well. In the Crimea when Florence Nightingale came to that November of 1850 for the probabilities were almost reversed. It must have frightened her for a moment courageous as she was
to realize that far from England in the theater of a disastrous war. She had become responsible in large part for the lives of 5000 men 5000 men wounded and suffering housed in a huge rundown filthy buildings improvised into hospitals. I'm sure that when Florence Nightingale reported at her new post she must have made an immediate inspection tour of those hospitals and she must have been accompanied by a rather stuffy and disapproving British officer who would have said with strained politeness. This way madam. There's a step down. Thank you. Are there no lights for the man in short supply here madam. And I've already been told Major that we have too few doctors not enough medical equipment. The doctors have their own kit and I have enough drugs. Now you tell me that we've not the candles to light the way to the men's cot costs madam. In Heaven's name Major what do we have here we have a great many wanting you and your sack of costly not elaborate on that.
Oh your patience Miss Nightingale. Permit me to strike a light. It is time to meet with Miss Nightingale I think of you. Don't touch that I know it's not a woman's work and once it's totally cool feathers. Are. Pitted and the Queen song Heroes Madame brigade apply cavalry most of them a glorious charges by the plough you know this time now. Tomorrow Major I will have decent cocks for these men and clean bedding. Impossible there are no supplies I will have them next if they cannot doctor I will have a baby. Madam you cannot mean that you tell me that there are not enough doctors to heal them and there are not enough drugs to ease that pain. Very well I am not a physician but I am a nurse and I will see that these men are clean and comfortable and attend it. If the Queen's army cannot provide doctors and drugs to treat our soldiers I will at least
see that they live or die in decency like human beings. You will spare me your objections major and so may your superiors. I am a woman and I hold my commission direct from the War Office. I doubt that you will know how to deal with either of these facts. The officers who were shot. The officials who were petty and fumbling the endless red tape dragged at Florence Nightingale during her Crimean assignment. But in the long run they were powerless against a woman with a vocation to nurse. She became known as the angel of the Crimea. It was hardly a term of praise at all but simply a description working 20 hours a day comforting consoling inspecting nagging the authorities. She became the Spirit literally the angel of those dingy hospital buildings.
And it is also literally true the men worshipped her. I say Great Night Watch sure won't. Just who was that their new mate. Well I swear I seen a woman in here. All that new air ain't you. What's that got to do with it always gives the new ones a fair she does she she Miss Florence knowledge and so and just in case you want to bet I say something you'll regret. Remember I got one and left that's good enough to snatch the Loctite have to rock you through me like I said not just to show you that so now I'm awake. I'll tell you she's an ass that and if it wasn't you
wouldn't be rest and comfortable on that nice call and waited fed and probably cleaner than you ever was any I don't know I'll stay alive people I may and one small lot does not change will come by tomorrow and talk to you just like it was already officer. Oh yeah I'm a web site Miss Florence Nightingale is an angel she is. And if they dared to make God I'm not a duck just one say get it go baby color say he's too good for it. Dennis Nightingale I wish we could offer you some reward appropriate to your services. The last house and yes have British traditions faves in the face of what you have done is to have it as a present.
I hope I may call you a friend. Believe me you may not talk of rewards I know you are being pleasant with my yes truly I pretend I'm not wholly dissatisfied with what's being done in the Crimea. It is the beginning. Still a monstrous work remains. After all in excellent condition to attempt it that has been a popular subscription of forty five thousand pounds for your use to every one of the Empire High and Low. You are ahead of me in saving her majesty you are the greatest living Englishwoman. You have only to indicate to me I think not. My dedication is to the private soldier of the British Army. I can scarcely imagine that the government would welcome the intervention of a popular heroine in their affairs even in so good a cause. And after all they have the power not I. Which is as it should be. What do you suggest then. I must retire into complete obscurity. I must be forgotten. That cannot be difficult my present notoriety if you please has fame or notoriety is a fleeting thing and once forgotten perhaps I can make
myself useful. Do Cree it seems a Spartan Joyce but you are as always quite right. We will retire into obscurity then. As for usefulness I can promise that. God Leon. This is Don Ameche once again. I like very briefly to discuss a serious problem across our nation right now there are vacancies in key health occupations ranging from 10 to 20 percent and the need for these personnel is expected to double in the next five years. Right now only 80 percent of resident physician assignments are filled in our hospitals over 70000 nurses and 25000 medical technologist are needed nationally according to the professional associations in the next five years budget vacancies have
increased 69 percent for full time general duty nurses between one thousand sixty three in one thousand sixty six. If the current downward trend continues for another five years the existing health care standards for our citizens will be seriously compromised. Why don't you do your part by inquiring how you can make a rewarding career for yourself in the medical field. A. The. I am. Paul Barnes speaking and once again we are back in contemporary America. Just how contemporary. I realized a little while ago as I eavesdrop on a lecture which was being delivered to a nurses training class. But Doctor and enthusiastic about advanced medical research was saying never forget the one thing we always do is to give our patients the best
and most conscientious the most advanced medical treatment possible. Not just to give you an example. Some of the pioneering work on the pacemaker was done at this hospital. Now when our researchers started on the pacemaker they were pretty sure that you could build an electronic gadget that would automatically regulate heartbeat. The only trouble was the gadget was about the size of a suitcase. But now with a new Micro Circuits the pacemaker is about the size of a dime. Looking at those student nurses and listening to the words they were hearing I found it hard to remember that it was only a little over 100 years earlier that Florence Nightingale had set up the world's first training school for nurses back in the summer of 1860. The 45000 poems which have been subscribed for her use after her return from the Crimea went to support the program and from all over England the young women timid but hopeful came down into the
night. Yes yes come in and we sit there. Thank you Miss Nightingale I do so want to be a nurse indeed. What are your qualifications. Well none I'm afraid it's a good beginning. So how did you come here. I want to be useful. I don't like to see people suffer. That's very well if you have steady nerves and a strong stomach that don't blush girl the stomach is a perfectly respectable old and now tell me your name and where you come from. Please I'm a Mary Pruitt and my father is Rector Mary Pruitt. I Are you a religious girl. You believe in hell. Why yes I suppose her but father only I Father My idea is probably a gentle man and he has perhaps never been in hospital either but I think it only fit to tell you that if you all graduated from my nursing school you will be sent directly to hell and told to turn it into a place of healing and dust.
Florence Nightingale it was never easy on the girls who came to her but she was infinitely harder on herself. Her own health broke under her constant efforts. She became an invalid. She worked on Sidney Herbert kept his promise to her the little known outside governmental and medical circles. She was indeed useful. Perhaps as useful as any other two or three persons in England. The range of her efforts was extraordinary. Miss Nightingale I satisfy longstanding desire in meeting you and they say gracious of you know I hope you're not disappointed or disappointed.
Dear me if I was I shouldn't dare say so. You know immediately I received official well out of my appointment as Viceroy the fasting the PM said to me was now my last viceroy you must go at once to Miss Florence Nightingale and receive your in your new education. You have made nursing into a respectable profession Miss Nightingale but respect is not enough and must train more nurses of course. But today there are hundreds of nurses where a five year IOU's ago we opened a school it's a must. Hundreds are not enough sad we must have a house. We are developing a plan in the district nursing which will improve the health of this kingdom in every part. But even he said this is no time to congratulate ourselves on what is already done. But then I never found a good time.
Don Ameche Once again I want to remind you that nationally there is a shortage of six hundred sixty five qualified instructors and eighty eight accredited medical schools due to inadequate recruitment. The few schools with adequate facilities and instructors report a dearth of students. Increasing educational requirements in the health careers compound the current shortage problem. In 1900 across the nation only two hundred thousand health personnel were required with college degrees today eighty one million five times as many have college degrees as credentials for the health professions for every new hospital bed. Two new employees must be hired. These expansion programs coupled with the added requirements imposed by Medicare are creating to rivet competition within the health care service for existing personnel such competition could create a severe imbalance in the quantity and quality of health services available across the nation. This competition has already triggered significant increases in the
earnings of all health careers. With respect to nursing both hospital and nursing authorities agree that increases are necessary. More and more public concern is essential if we're going to close the gap between the supply and demand for health personnel. You can do your part by inquiring how you can make a rewarding career for yourself in the medical field. And. Burdened with illness and weariness. Florence Nightingale abandoned her official duties in 1870 to there after she found time for such modest tasks as the study of mysticism Greek translation and the cultivation of friendships especially with the young. She lived in a peaceful obscurity almost wholly forgotten by the British public when she received the Order of Merit in 1907.
A common reaction to the news was that I mean to say she cannot be alive after all this is the twentieth century Florence Nightingale. She is Crimean War charge of the Light Brigade all but there was a well-meant offer which she refused. Do you know it's really very difficult to reply to the suggestion. Oh definitely flattering. Very flattering of course. But how does one say thank you. But I have decided not to beat any into Westminster Abbey in August 1910. The funeral did take place in East well o Hampshire in a small country churchyard of that very small place a tourist. Strange to the place and the country might have wondered about it. Excuse me. Yes sir. Well I'm a stranger here you know. Yes.
American I think yes. I don't want to ask anything wrong but I just wonder about that. Yeah this is such a small place. Doesn't look like a place where they bury soldiers but there's the drum. And the coffin was carried by six sergeants right. Yes and it could have been a thousand soldiers or ten thousand so. Except that she was a very modest lady. Miss Florence Nightingale so. This is her home. Florence Nightingale has left behind a great tradition of dedicated service. And in today's hospitals all over the country we find that this dedicated service continues. The hospital is much more than a place where life begins and ends. More than a place where illnesses are cured where emergencies are treated. It is also a place where men and women practice their lifesaving skills where dramatic discoveries are made. The life of every
community is greatly dependent upon the excellence of a hospital's health care services and facilities. Happily we can say that hospitals stand ready to meet the challenge of the future. But please remember hospitals also need your support and loyalty. This is Don Ameche. March of medicine. Some episodes in the history of hospitals and the people who work in them to protect your health and mine. March of medicine is presented as a public service by the American hospital supply corporation. Heard on this program were Muriel Mon so foreign persons ilke a deal. Paul Barnes Sondra Gary Norman got Chuck and Bob Baer a script by Martin Maloney. Earlier in the program you heard the remark. Living for others is really living. If you
feel that your own life can be enriched by helping others why not get more information by writing to health career is box for twenty seven Evanston Illinois. This program was distributed by national educational radio. This is national educational radio network.
Series
The march of medicine
Episode
Florence Nightingale: The angel of the Crimea
Producing Organization
WMAQ (Radio station : Chicago, Ill.)
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-9z90dh6s
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Description
Episode Description
This program focuses on the story of Florence Nightingale. It also includes a public service announcement by actor Don Ameche.
Series Description
Drama series highlighting important moments in medicine. Each program also includes a public service announcement related to medicine or hospitals.
Date
1966-12-07
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:03
Embed Code
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Credits
Producing Organization: WMAQ (Radio station : Chicago, Ill.)
Speaker: Ameche, Don
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 67-4-1 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:40
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Citations
Chicago: “The march of medicine; Florence Nightingale: The angel of the Crimea,” 1966-12-07, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 29, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-9z90dh6s.
MLA: “The march of medicine; Florence Nightingale: The angel of the Crimea.” 1966-12-07. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 29, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-9z90dh6s>.
APA: The march of medicine; Florence Nightingale: The angel of the Crimea. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-9z90dh6s