II.

Early Years

Born in Florence, Italy, on May 12, 1820, Nightingale was raised mostly in Derbyshire, England, and received a thorough classical education from her father. From 1837 to 1839 she traveled with her parents in Europe, and the suffering she saw aroused an interest in nursing. She visited hospitals whenever possible. In 1849 she traveled in Italy, Greece, and Egypt, and in 1850 stopped in Germany to visit the hospital and school for deaconesses at Kaiserswerth, near Düsseldorf, Germany.

Nightingale returned to England determined to study nursing despite the disapproval of her parents. The following year she studied for several months at the nursing institution at Kaiserswerth. In 1853 she became superintendent of the Hospital for Invalid Gentlewomen, a small private hospital in London.