Florence Nightingale was born in 1820， and her parents were visiting Florence then， in Italy. So she was named after the city.

Nightingale’s parents were very rich. Like many rich girls of the time， Florence did not go to school. Her father taught her foreign languages， history and math.

Nightingale read all the books and reports about health and hospital. She became an expert on the ways to keep people healthy and make them better when they became ill.

When she was 30， Nightingale went to Germany with some friends. She visited a nursing institute at Kaiserswerth. This is where she wanted to study！

In 1851， Nightingale’s parents finally allowed her to go to Kaiserwserth. When she returned she worked at a hospital for sick women in London.

In 1854， Nightingale heard about the bad condition for soldiers injured in the Crimean War between Britain and Russia. She decided to do something.

Nightingale gathered together supplies and a group of nurses. The men were happy to have cleaner wards and better food.

The soldiers called Nightingale “The Lady with the lamp” because she walked around the hospital every night with a lamp comforting patients.

When the war ended in 1856， Nightingale was famous. Queen Victoria wanted to meet her. In 1860， Nightingale set up the Nightingale School for Nurses in London.

She died in 1910. During her life， nursing had become a respected profession.

弗洛伦斯·南丁格尔生于1820年。当时，她的父母正好造访意大利的佛罗伦萨，便以那个城市的名字给她取名。

南丁格尔的父母很富有。像当时很多富人家的女孩一样，南丁格尔没有去学校读书，但是她父亲教她外语、历史和数学。

南丁格尔阅读了很多关于健康和医院的书籍和报道。她成了保健和护理病人的专家。

30岁的时候，南丁格尔和朋友一起去了德国。她参观了位于凯撒斯维特的护理学院。这就是她想学习的地方！

1851年，南丁格尔的父母最终同意她去凯撒斯维特学习。回国后，她在伦敦的一家医院护理女病人。

1854年，南丁格尔听说英俄克里米亚战争中受伤的士兵的情况很糟糕。她决定为他们做点什么。

南丁格尔收集了一些供给品并集合了一群护士。士兵们感到高兴的是有了干净的病房和更好的食物。

士兵们称呼南丁格尔为“提灯女士”，因为她每晚都会提着灯在医院里巡视和安慰士兵们。

1856年战争结束后，南丁格尔成了名人。维多利亚女王也想接见她。1860年，南丁格尔在伦敦开办了南丁格尔护士学校。

1910年，南丁格尔去世。在她生活的年代，护理工作成为一种受人尊敬的職业。