' As for the washing arrangements, they were
revolutionised. Up to the time of Miss Nightingale's arrival, the
number of shirts the authorities had succeeded in washing was
seven. The hospital bedding, she found, was 'washed' in cold
water. She took a Turkish house, had boilers installed, and
employed soldiers' wives to do the laundry work. The expenses
were defrayed from her own funds and that of The Times; and
henceforward, the sick and wounded had the comfort of clean
linen.
Then she turned her attention to their clothing. Owing to
military exigencies, the greater number of the men had abandoned
their kit; their knapsacks were lost forever; they possessed
nothing but what was on their persons, and that was usually only
fit for speedy destruction. The 'Purveyor', of course, pointed
out that, according to the regulations, all soldiers should bring
with them into hospital an adequate supply of clothing, and he
declared that it was no business of his to make good their
deficiencies. Apparently, it was the business of Miss
Nightingale. She procured socks, boots, and shirts in enormous
quantities; she had trousers made, she rigged up dressing-gowns.
'The fact is,' she told Sidney Herbert, I am now clothing the
British Army.'
All at once, word came from the Crimea that a great new
contingent of sick and wounded might shortly be expected.
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