London: The Dark Origins of Nursing

London, England. The year is 1910. Florence Nightingale has just passed away, leaving behind a legacy that forever changed healthcare. It's hard to believe there was a time when nursing wasn't the noble and respectable profession it is today. In fact, there was a time when people didn't want to be associated with nursing at all. It was considered a low-status occupation that you could learn without needing a formal education.

TIMELINE
1647: laborers toiling away at the Tower of London uncovered two small skeletons while clearing away rubble from a staircase.
1820: in the Italian city of Firenze.
1851: she trained at Kaiserwerth Institute in Germany, one of the few places that would accept a lady of her class.
1854: Turned away by Britain's war office, she did what entrepreneurs do, built the British hotel near the front lines.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of London is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 164 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

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