John Hall's letter book reveals Florence Nightingale as an interfering busybody.

The Wellcome Library has acquired a letter book of the military surgeon Sir John Hall, revealing that his opinion of Florence Nightingale was a far cry from the heroic image that we have of her today.

Hall was Head of Medical Services during the Crimean War (1854–56) and his letters, bought by the Wellcome Library at Bonham's auction house, refer to his battles of control with Nightingale, whom he thought threatened to introduce a "petticoat imperium". Writing to his superiors, he defends the army medical services from her criticisms, and pulls no punches in accusing her of arrogance and being an interfering busybody desperate for power. A letter to a superior exclaimed: "Miss Nightingale…shows an ambitious struggling after power inimical to the true interests of the medical department."

Nightingale came to be known as 'The Lady of the Lamp', and during the Crimean War reports began to filter back to Britain about the appalling conditions endured by the sick and wounded. In 1854, she and 38 volunteers travelled to Turkey, where British casualties were evacuated to, and began to clean up the hospitals and equipment and drastically reorganise patient care.

See also

• Letter book of military surgeon depicts Nightingale as no heroine (press release: 3 September 2007)