Crimean War

Florence Nightingale made very limited contributions during the war but afterwards made large ones. At the beginning of the war she selected nurses to work along side her in the Crimean, these nurses included her aunt Mai Smith. The team were sent under the authorization of Sidney Herbert, before arriving in November 1854. Nightingale wasn't on the front line, so any soldiers who arrived had been travelling for 5 days and hade had no treatment. On arrival they found medical staff unable to look after everyone, disease very ripe and few medicines. They then started to clean up and help the medical staff. Florence herself didn't take part but ordered her nurses to do it taking a motherly role. However the death rate still increased this was because the sewers were damaged. It took until March 1855 few this to be changed. The death rate fell but Florence believed the deaths were still down to poor nutrition, overworking soldiers and poor housing. On her return to England she set out to prove these things and created the modern nursing through the government.

Mary Seacole on the other hand made very large contributions during the war. She tried to get into Florence Nightingales nurses but was refused, she believes only because of her colour. Because of this she made her own war to the Crimean, and set up her base the “British Hotel” a few miles from the front line. Before going to the Crimean she had a lot of experience because she “shadowed” her mum treating disease in her own country. It total she spent 18 months out there before she was ordered to retreat. Although she was helping the British mainly she would treat anyone who needed it. She believed that making the soldiers in good condition before going up to the front line by giving them more nutritious food. She would go out to the battlefield and helped the injured. The idea she had was that if she could treat the injured before the five-day trip to the hospital there would be a lower death rate. On her return she was a national hero and lived a very good life.

I believe that Mary Seacole made the most important contribution, this is because she wanted to help the soldiers her self by going out to the battle field in very dangerous conditions just to help other people, while Florence Nightingale didn't go near any danger to help people, she didn't even do anything, because she only instructed her nurses and so didn't make a physical difference herself. Another reason is that Mary Seacole took risks by going to the battlefields to help others while Florence took no risks by staying behind and away from all the dangers of attacks. Mary Seacole also made big differences to the death rate by making immediate changes and being there to offer primary treatment, while Florence Nightingale took a lot longer and was larger benefited by Mary Seacole's work meaning that she was on the receiving end of good medical treatment so less had to be done. This is why I think Mary Seacole made the biggest difference because she was out there doing practical hands on things that saved lives while Florence Nightingale stood back and watched what her orders did without helping.