Asceticism is the trifling of an enthusiast with his power, a puerile coquetting with his selfishness or his vanity, in the absence of any sufficiently great object to employ the first or overcome the last. — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
People talk about imitating Christ, and imitate Him in the little trifling formal things, such as washing the feet, saying His prayer, and so on; but if anyone attempts the real imitation of Him, there are no bounds to the… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
We know nothing of the principle of health, the positive of which pathology is the negative, except from observation and experience. And nothing but… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
The specific disease doctrine is the grand refuge of weak, uncultured, unstable minds, such as now rule in the medical profession. There are no… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm. — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards. — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
“It is often thought that medicine is the curative process. It is no such thing; medicine is the surgery of functions, as surgery proper… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
A hundred struggle and drown in the breakers. One discovers the new world. But rather, ten times rather, die in the surf, heralding the… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
Newton's law is nothing but the statistics of gravitation, it has no power whatever. Let us get rid of the idea of power from… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm. — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
Every nurse ought to be careful to wash her hands very frequently during the day. If her face, too, so much the better. — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
I have learned to know God. I have recast my social belief... All my admirers are married; most of my friends are dead; and… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
For it may safely be said, not that the habit of ready and correct observation will by itself make us useful nurses, but that… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
I cannot remember the time when I have not longed for death. ... for years and years I used to watch for death as… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
A dark house is always an unhealthy house, always an ill-aired house, always a dirty house. Want of light stops growth and promotes scrofula,… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
If I could give you information of my life, it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led… — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
Variety of form and brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients are actual means of recovery. — Florence Nightingale Copy Share Image
