This is the first biography of Florence Nightingale, primarily dedicated to her deeds during the Crimean War. Readers get to know a lot about Nightingale's hard work and effort to introduce sanitation in the barracks of wounded soldiers, her efforts to reform medicine in Britain, her motivation and beliefs. Matheson gives a complete account of Nightingale's life from her childhood to the last years. A reader gets insights into her education, acquaintances, service at the Crimean War (including the account of the most important events and the role Florence Nightingale played), her fight for sanitation in barracks, and finally, her victory of prejudice. A fascinating piece about the establishment of modern medicine is described through a person's life.

Annie Matheson (18531924) was a British poet and the first biographer of Florence Nightingale. At an early age, she developed a strong interest in writing and started contributing to journalism. Later she published several volumes of her religious poems, praising the beauty of God's nature. She was also engaged in socio-critical studies and reflected her views in the Leave of Prose...With Two Studies by May Sinclair. Although she came from a big family, she never married nor had kids. Yet, a lot of her works were aimed at children's audiences. She created books about real personalities like Joan of Arc and fiction heroes, which came into a series called "Rose and Dragon."