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between them。 With supreme skill； she kept this sword of Damocles
poised above the Bison's head； and more than once she was
actually on the point of really dropping it for his
recalcitrancy grew and grew。
The personnel of the Commission once determined upon； there was a
struggle； which lasted for six months； over the nature of its
powersWas it to be an efficient body； armed with the right of
full inquiry and wide examination； or was it to be a polite
official contrivance for exonerating Dr。 Andrew Smith？ The War
Office phalanx closed its ranks； and fought tooth and nail； but
it was defeated： the Bison was bullyable。 'Three months from this
day；' Miss Nightingale had written at last； 'I publish my
experience of the Crimean Campaign； and my suggestions for
improvement； unless there has been a fair and tangible pledge by
that time for reform。' Who could face that？
And； if the need came； she meant to be as good as her word。 For
she had now determined； whatever might be the fate of the
Commission； to draw up her own report upon the questions at
issue。 The labour involved was enormous； her health was almost
desperate； but she did not flinch； and after six months of
incredible industry she had put together and written with her own
hand her Notes affecting the Health； Efficiency； and Hospital
Administration of the British Army。 This extraordinary
composition； filling more than 800 closely printed pages； laying
down vast principles of far…reaching reform； discussing the
minutest details of a multitude of controversial subjects；
containing an enormous mass of information of the most varied
kindsmilitary； statistical； sanitary； architecturalwas never
given to the public； for the need never came； but it formed the
basis of the Report of the Royal Commission； and it remains to
this day the leading authority on the medical administration of
armies。
Before it had been completed； the struggle over the powers of the
Commission had been brought to a victorious close。 Lord Panmure
had given way once more； he had immediately hurried to the Queen
to obtain her consent； and only then； when Her Majesty's initials
had been irrevocably affixed to the fatal document； did he dare
to tell Dr。 Andrew Smith what he had done。 The Commission met；
and another immense load fell upon Miss Nightingale's shoulders。
Today she would； of course； have been one of the Commission
herself； but at that time the idea of a woman appearing in such a
capacity was unheard of； and no one even suggested the
possibility of Miss Nightingale's doing so。 The result was that
she was obliged to remain behind the scenes throughout； to coach
Sidney Herbert in private at every important juncture； and to
convey to him and to her other friends upon the Commission the
vast funds of her expert knowledgeso essential in the
examination of witnessesby means of innumerable consultations；
letters； and memoranda。 It was even doubtful whether the
proprieties would admit of her giving evidence； and at last； as a
compromise； her modesty only allowed her to do so in the form of
written answers to written questions。 At length； the grand affair
was finished。 The Commission's Report； embodying almost word for
word the suggestions of Miss Nightingale； was drawn up by Sidney
Herbert。 Only one question remained to be answeredwould
anything； after all； be done？ Or would the Royal Commission； like
so many other Royal Commissions before and since； turn out to
have achieved nothing but the concoction of a very fat bluebook
on a very high shelf？
And so the last and the deadliest struggle with the Bison began。
Six months had been spent in coercing him into granting the
Commission effective powers； six more months were occupied by the
work of the Commission； and now yet another six were to pass in
extorting from him the means whereby the recommendations of the
Commission might be actually carried out。 But； in the end； the
thing was done。 Miss Nightingale seemed； indeed； during these
months； to be upon the very brink of death。 Accompanied by the
faithful Aunt Mai； she moved from place to placeto Hampstead；
to Highgate； to Derbyshire； to Malvernin what appeared to be a
last desperate effort to find health somewhere； but she carried
that with her which made health impossible。 Her desire for work
could now scarcely be distinguished from mania。 At one moment she
was writing a 'last letter' to Sidney Herbert； at the next she
was offering to go out to India to nurse the sufferers in the
Mutiny。 When Dr。 Sutherland wrote； imploring her to take a
holiday； she raved。 Rest！'I am lying without my head； without
my claws； and you all peck at me。 It is de rigueur； d'obligation；
like the saying something to one's hat； when one goes into
church； to say to me all that has been said to me 110 times a day
during the last three months。 It is the obbligato on the violin；
and the twelve violins all practise it together； like the clocks
striking twelve o'clock at night all over London； till I say like
Xavier de Maistre； Assez； je sais； je ne le sais que trop。 I am
not a penitent； but you are like the R。C。 confessor； who says
what is de rigueur。 。。。'
Her wits began to turn； and there was no holding her。 She worked
like a slave in a mine。 She began to believe； as she had begun to
believe at Scutari； that none of her fellow…workers had their
hearts in the business； if they had； why did they not work as she
did？ She could only see slackness and stupidity around her。 Dr。
Sutherland； of course； was grotesquely muddle…headed； and Arthur
Clough incurably lazy。 Even Sidney Herbert 。。。 oh yes； he had
simplicity and candour and quickness of perception； no doubt； but
he was an eclectic； and what could one hope for from a man who
went away to fish in Ireland just when the Bison most needed
bullying？ As for the Bison himself； he had fled to Scotland where
he remained buried for many months。 The fate of the vital
recommendation in the Commission's Reportthe appointment of
four Sub…Commissions charged with the duty of determining upon
the details of the proposed reforms and of putting them into
executionstill hung in the balance。 The Bison consented to
everything； and then； on a flying visit to London； withdrew his
consent and hastily returned to Scotland。 Then for many weeks all
business was suspended； he had goutgout in the hands so that
he could not write。 'His gout was always handy；' remarked Miss
Nightingale。 But eventually it was clear even to the Bison that
the game was up； and the inevitable surrender came。
There was； however； one point in which he triumphed over Miss
Nightingale： the building of Netley Hospital had been begun under
his orders； before her return to England。 Soon after her arrival
she examined the plans； and found that they reproduced all the
worst faults of an out…of…date and mischievous system of hospital
construction。 She therefore urged that the matter should be
reco