The martyr sacrifices themselves entirely in vain. Or rather not in vain; for they make the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower.

The martyr sacrifices themselves entirely in vain. Or rather not in vain; for they make the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower.

You must go to Mahometanism, to Buddhism, to the East, to the Sufis Fakirs, to Pantheism, for the right growth of mysticism.

She said the object and color in the materials around us actually have a physical effect on us, on how we feel.

Passion, intellect, moral activity – these three have never been satisfied in a woman. In this cold and oppressive conventional atmosphere, they cannot be satisfied. To say more on this subject would be to enter into the whole history of society, of the present state of civilisation.

The night is given to us to take breath, to pray, to drink deep at the fountain of power.

The next Christ will perhaps be a female Christ.

The world is put back by the death of every one who has to sacrifice the development of his or her peculiar gifts to conventionality.

Mysticism: to dwell on the unseen, to withdraw ourselves from the things of sense into communion with God – to endeavour to partake of the Divine nature; that is, of Holiness.

For it may safely be said, not that the habit of ready and correct observation will by itself make us useful nurses, but that without it we shall be useless with all our devotion.

Variety of form and brilliancy of color in the object presented to patients are an actual means of recovery.

The specific disease doctrine is the grand refuge of weak, uncultured, unstable minds, such as now rule in the medical profession. There are no specific diseases; there are specific disease conditions.

A human being does not cease to exist at death. It is change, not destruction, which takes place.

A human being does not cease to exist at death. It is change, not destruction, which takes place.

If I could give you information of my life it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led by God in strange and unaccustomed paths to do in His service what He has done in her. And if I could tell you all, you would see how God has done all, and I nothing. I have worked hard, very hard, that is all; and I have never refused God anything.

Poetry and imagination begin life. A child will fall on its knees on the gravel walk at the sight of a pink hawthorn in full flower, when it is by itself, to praise God for it.

Jesus Christ raised women above the condition of mere slaves, mere ministers to the passions of the man, raised them by His sympathy, to be Ministers of God.

Jesus Christ raised women above the condition of mere slaves, mere ministers to the passions of the man, raised them by His sympathy, to be Ministers of God.

Never underestimate the healing effects of beauty.

A nurse is to maintain the air within the room as fresh as the air without, without lowering the temperature.

Patriotism is not enough, there must be no hatred or bitterness for anyone.

Women have no sympathy and my experience of women is almost as large as Europe.

It is the unqualified result of all my experience with the sick that, second only to their need of fresh air, is their need of light; that, after a close room, what hurts them most is a dark room and that it is not only light but direct sunlight they want.

May we hope that, when we are all dead and gone, leaders will arise who have been personally experienced in the hard, practical work, the difficulties, and the joys of organizing nursing reforms, and who will lead far beyond anything we have done!

Why have women passion, intellect, moral activity these, three and a place in society where no one of the three can be exercised?

Our first journey is to find that special place for us.

For the sick it is important to have the best.

I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel.

The amount of relief and comfort experienced by the sick after the skin has been carefully washed and dried, is one of the commonest observations made at a sick bed.

Apprehension, uncertainty, waiting, expectation, fear of surprise, do a patient more harm than any exertion.

Nursing is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.

If a patient is cold, if a patient is feverish, if a patient is faint, if he is sick after taking food, if he has a bed-sore, it is generally the fault not of the disease, but of the nursing.

I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.

Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore.

The most important practical lesson than can be given to nurses is to teach them what to observe.

I use the word nursing for want of a better.

I am not yet worthy; and I will live to deserve to be called a Trained Nurse.

So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.

To understand God’s thoughts, one must study statistics, for these are the measure of His purpose.

Never give nor take an excuse.

Remember my name – you’ll be screaming it later.

Unnecessary noise is the most cruel abuse of care which can be inflicted on either the sick or the well.

Live life when you have it. Life is a splendid gift-there is nothing small about it.

Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.

How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.

The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.

Unless we are making progress in our nursing every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are going back.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.

Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any painter’s or sculptor’s work.

I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse.