Florence Nightingale was a famous woman who lived in the 19th century.

She came from a well-to-do family, and could have ignored all the suffering around. But even from an early age she became involved in helping to tend the sick.

She began by taking care of animals and then started to take an interest in helping people.

At this time people did not understand what caused disease (bacteria), but it seemed to Florence that cleanliness and fresh air could do no harm. She also realised that people needed to be comforted as well as treated.

She began to train nurses using these principles.

She was already quite famous when the Crimean War started. Eventually she was allowed to go to the hospital near the war zone, and here she began to apply her nursing principles. They most probably saved many lives.

She is famous as 'The Lady with the Lamp' because she used to make the rounds of the wards at night holding a lantern.