One of England's leading historical women has complied her thoughts on nursing. Even though nursing has changed greatly since Florence Nightingale's time her insights are a wonderful historical document full of common sense and practical information. This book was written not as a nursing manual but rather as suggestions for anyone with the responsibility of caring for an ill person. Nightingale empathizes in the preface that every woman at some time in her life will be a nurse and she must learn by doing not by reading. Nightingale is offering her experience as a guide. She covers such topics as ventilation, health of the house, bedding, noise, variety, food, light, personal cleanliness, sanitation of the room, and observation of the sick.