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construction。 She therefore urged that the matter should be
reconsidered； and in the meantime the building stopped。 But the
Bison was obdurate； it would be very expensive； and in any case
it was too late。 Unable to make any impression on him； and
convinced of the extreme importance of the question； she
determined to appeal to a higher authority。 Lord Palmerston was
Prime Minister； she had known him from her childhood； he was a
near neighbour of her father's in the New Forest。 She went down
to the New Forest； armed with the plan of the proposed hospital
and all the relevant information； stayed the night at Lord
Palmerston's house； and convinced him of the necessity of
rebuilding Netley。 'It seems to me；' Lord Palmerston wrote to
Lord Panmure； 'that at Netley all consideration of what would
best tend to the comfort and recovery of the patients has been
sacrificed to the vanity of the architect； whose sole object has
been to make a building which should cut a dash when looked at
from the Southampton river。。。 Pray； therefore； stop all further
progress in the work until the matter can be duly considered。'
But the Bison was not to be moved by one peremptory letter； even
if it was from the Prime Minister。 He put forth all his powers of
procrastination； Lord Palmerston lost interest in the subject；
and so the chief military hospital in England was triumphantly
completed on insanitary principles； with unventilated rooms； and
with all the patients' windows facing northeast。
But now the time had come when the Bison was to trouble and to be
troubled no more。 A vote in the House of Commons brought about
the fall of Lord Palmerston's Government； and； Lord Panmure found
himself at liberty to devote the rest of his life to the Free
Church of Scotland。 After a brief interval； Sidney Herbert became
Secretary of State for War。 Great was the jubilation in the
Nightingale Cabinet： the day of achievement had dawned at last。
The next two and a half years （1859…61） saw the introduction of
the whole system of reforms for which Miss Nightingale had been
struggling so fiercelyreforms which make Sidney Herbert's
tenure of power at the War Office an important epoch in the
history of the British Army。 The four Sub…Commissions； firmly
established under the immediate control of the Minister； and
urged forward by the relentless perseverance of Miss Nightingale；
set to work with a will。 The barracks and the hospitals were
remodelled； they were properly ventilated and warmed and lighted
for the first time； they were given a water supply which actually
supplied water； and kitchens where； strange to say； it was
possible to cook。 Then the great question of the Purveyorthat
portentous functionary whose powers and whose lack of powers had
weighed like a nightmare upon Scutariwas taken in hand； and new
regulations were laid down； accurately defining his
responsibilities and his duties。 One Sub…Commission reorganised
the medical statistics of the Army； another established in spite
of the last convulsive efforts of the Department an Army Medical
School。 Finally； the Army Medical Department itself was
completely reorganised； an administrative code was drawn up； and
the great and novel principle was established that it was as much
a part of the duty of the authorities to look after the soldier's
health as to look after his sickness。 Besides this； it was at
last officially admitted that he had a moral and intellectual
side。 Coffee…rooms and reading…rooms； gymnasiums and workshops
were instituted。 A new era did in truth appear to have begun。
Already by 1861 the mortality in the Army had decreased by one…
half since the days of the Crimea。 It was no wonder that even
vaster possibilities began now to open out before Miss
Nightingale。 One thing was still needed to complete and to assure
her triumphs。 The Army Medical Department was indeed reorganised；
but the great central machine was still untouched。 The War Office
itself！ If she could remould that nearer to her heart's desire…
…there indeed would be a victory！ And until that final act was
accomplished； how could she be certain that all the rest of her
achievements might not； by some capricious turn of Fortune's
wheela change of Ministry； perhaps； replacing Sidney Herbert by
some puppet of the permanent official gang be swept to limbo in
a moment？
Meanwhile； still ravenous for yet more and more work； her
activities had branched out into new directions。 The Army in
India claimed her attention。 A Sanitary Commission； appointed at
her suggestion； and working under her auspices； did for our
troops there what the four Sub…Commissions were doing for those
at home。 At the same time； these very years which saw her laying
the foundations of the whole modern system of medical work in the
Army； saw her also beginning to bring her knowledge； her
influence； and her activity into the service of the country at
large。 Her 〃Notes on Hospitals〃 （1859） revolutionised the theory
of hospital construction and hospital management。 She was
immediately recognised as the leading expert upon all the
questions involved； her advice flowed unceasingly and in all
directions； so that there is no great hospital today which does
not bear upon it the impress of her mind。 Nor was this all。 With
the opening of the Nightingale Training School for Nurses at St。
Thomas's Hospital （1860）； she became the founder of modern
nursing。
But a terrible crisis was now fast approaching。 Sidney Herbert
had consented to undertake the root and branch reform of the War
Office。 He had sallied forth into that tropical jungle of
festooned obstructiveness； of intertwisted irresponsibilities； of
crouching prejudices； of abuses grown stiff and rigid with
antiquity； which for so many years to come was destined to lure
reforming Ministers to their doom。 'The War Office；' said Miss
Nightingale； 'is a very slow office； an enormously expensive
office； and one in which the Minister's intentions can be
entirely negated by all his sub…departments； and those of each of
the sub…departments by every other。' It was true； and of course；
at the； first rumour of a change； the old phalanx of reaction was
bristling with its accustomed spears。 At its head stood no longer
Dr。 Andrew Smith； who； some time since； had followed the Bison
into outer darkness； but a yet more formidable figure； the
Permanent Under…Secretary himself； Sir Benjamin Hawes Ben Hawes
the Nightingale Cabinet irreverently dubbed him 〃a man remarkable
even among civil servants for adroitness in baffling inconvenient
inquiries； resource in raising false issues； and； in； short； a
consummate command of all the arts of officially sticking in the
mud'。
'Our scheme will probably result in Ben Hawes's resignation；'
Miss Nightingale said； 'and that is another of its advantages。'
Ben Hawes himself； however； did not quite see it in that light。
He set himself to resist the wishes of the Minister by ev