The Mother of modern nursing signs and sends a book relating to nursing to a previously shipwrecked nurse!
Historic pioneer of modern nursing FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE hand-signed Materia Medica book, inscribed and signed in graphite "Florence Nightingale". Almost non-existent, this is one of the only works related to nursing we have ever seen signed by Nightingale. Nightingale has additionally inscribed the book to a nurse who was formerly shipwrecked off the coast of Canada in 1878.
Nightingale dedicates the book to "Nurse Webb" adding "delivered from ship wreck by our almighty Father's care & entering on a new post of usefulness at [sic] Hospital". She then signs and dates "Nov. 1878".
CONTEXT: On August 16 1878, Florence Nightingale wrote to her local reverend recounting the ordeal:
"Dear Sir, Four of our trained Nurses have been wrecked on their way home from Canada, where they had been nursing for us at the Montreal General Hospital & were returning for further Nursing employment under us.
The steamer was wrecked upon a reef two days out from Canada, on July 2. All night she was beaten about & in danger of going to pieces. At day break the Captain lowered the passengers into a life boat, but she drifted out to sea & again they were with difficulty sav
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