Illustration of British nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) receiving wounded soldiers at the hospital at Scutari, Istanbul, Turkey, during the Crimean War (1854-1856). Already an experienced nurse, Nightingale was made director of nursing operations. At the time, disease spread quickly due to overcrowding, poor ventilation and bad drains. Nightingale advocated light and airy hospitals with clean staff and good sanitary engineering, helping to reduce the mortality rate.