Essay Sample on Easter What Is Known About the History of Easter

Essay Sample on Easter What Is Known About the History of Easter This is an essay example on history of Easter. The evidence that Jesus was alive after the crucifixion is overwhelming, and scholars hardly ever argue otherwise. Jesus was seen in many different places and at different times after the crucifixion (John 20, 1 Cor. 15, Mark 16.7, etc.) Some people attempt to explain this by arguing that Jesus never died in the first place, and therefore never really resurrected as Christians claim. This theory is know as the Swoon Theory or the Resuscitation Theory, and was put forth by the German rationalist Venturini sometime in the eighteenth century. Even though there are presently an infinite amount of variations to this theory, they all basically hold that instead of dying, Jesus merely fainted or swooned from exhaustion. Jesus then resuscitated thanks to the effects of the cool damp grave he was placed in, and was finally able to present himself before His disciples as a risen king. In this essay I will explain the basis for the concoction of su ch a theory and the evidence that might support it, as well as give evidence, such as medical and historical facts, that will completely discredit it. Even though the Swoon theory contains very little facts that support it, there are a few events that happened in the crucifixion stories that are used as attempts to give it credibility. A German scholar by the name of Paulus Ð £points out that crucifixion was usually a slow, protracted dying Jesus died in an amazingly short time (Mark 15:44), therefore, he claims, Jesus was not really dead, but that he was in a death-like trance. Paulus also claims that Jesus only received a surface wound from the spear thrusted into his side, not a deathly one. Finally, he suggests that the aromatic spices and cool grave would have been influential enough to wake him up from this trance. Another argument is that the Bible contradicts itself and therefore should not be believed word for word. This is based on the fact that there are some variations in the stories of the crucifixion in the different gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Scholars that support the Swoon Theory also use as evidence the date that the gospels were written. They believe that the gospels arent reliable because they are not eyewitness accounts. Mark, the earliest of the gospels probably wasnt written until 60 AD, a full generation after the events of Jesus life. Yet another excuse, or should I say piece of evidence used to defend this theory, is that the people back then were simply mislead because medical knowledge was not great at that time, so that the disciples, mistaking Him for dead, buried Him alive. This excuse would have also been sufficient to explain why the executioners confirmed Jesus dead (Mark 15.45). Even though the Swoon Theory has some evidence to back it up, there is much more evidence that discredits it. This theory is greatly flawed because it ignores a great part of the story. It is a classical example of approaching the evidence with a preconceived theory and selecting only those facts which support your view and rejecting all others. Some examples of ignored facts are that there were four highly trained executioners that verified JesusÐ ¢ death (John 19.32) and whos mistakes would have probably cause them there lives; another ignored fact is that the stone that covered the tomb was way to heavy for Jesus to roll away on His own, and even if He would have been able to, the tomb was heavily guarded (John 19.38) so that there was no way Jesus could have snuck out unnoticed. This list of ignored facts could go on and on for quite a while. With all the medical and scientific evidence that we have present today, confirming the events story of the crucifixion, as written in the Bible, and that Jesus did really die, is not very hard. Even in the case of someone brutally executed on a Roman cross two million years ago, medical evidence can still make a crucial contribution. Jesus death was the result of the contribution of many different events. Each event can be proved credible as follows. The first event took place in the garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26.6 describes Jesus as sorrowful and deeply distressed as He prayed to His father. There is no doubt that Jesus knew what was going to happen to him the next day. In fact, it scarred Him so much, that He began to sweat blood (Luke 22.44). Many skeptics have claimed this physically impossible and used it to argue against the credibility of the Bible. But, according to Alexander Metherell, M.D, P.H.D, this is a know medical condition called hematidrosis associated with a hig h degree of psychological stress. He also claims that it would have made Jesus skin extremely fragile making him very sensitive to the floggings of the following day. Historians have concluded that Roman floggings were horribly brutal. Jesus would have been stripped of his clothes and then whipped with a flagrum that consisted of a sturdy handle to which were attached long leather thongs that had sharp jagged pieces of bone and lead woven into them. According to Dr. C. Truman Davis, this would have resulted I Jesus back, shoulders, and legs looking like an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue, with skin hanging in long ribbons. After this, according to Roman tradition, a prisoner such as Jesus would have been mocked by the Roman soldiers. We can witness this in Mark 15.16-20. Verse 20 also says that a crown of thorns was placed on His head and verse 19, that he was beaten with a reed. According to Metherell, these events alone would have been enough to kill a man. But Jesus did not expire, not yet at least. He went on to endure much greater torture. Although not dead, Jesus did not walk away unharmed. Metherell says that Jesus would have faced the crucifixion while already in hypovolemic shock, meaning that He was suffering the effects of loosing a large amount of blood. Some of these effects described by Metherell are described in the gospels: blood pressure drops, causing fainting or collapse we see in Mat. 27.32 that Simon had to carry the crossbar for Jesus because He collapsed and could not carry it any further. Person becomes thirsty as the body craves fluids to replace the lost blood volume. In the John 19 we read about Jesus saying, I thirst and then being offered sour wine. Because of the terrible effects of this beating, theres no question that Jesus was already in serious to critical condition even before the nails were driven through his hands and feet. For many years critics argued that nails werent used to crucify a person, but that instead ropes were used. It wasnt until1968 that the Archaeologist V. Tzaferis discovered four cave-tombs just north of Jerusalem that put an end to these criticss argument. In one of these tombs, well-preserved bodies containing nails that pierced their wrists and ankles were found. These nails would have been driven through some major nerves and caused Jesus unbearable pain, so unbearable in fact, that a new word had to be invented to describe it: Excruciating meaning out of the cross. Metherell says that because of the way Jesus was hanging, His shoulders would have become easily dislocated therefore fulfilling the prophesy in Psalm 22.14. Usually the final thing that kills a person being crucified, including Jesus in this case, is asphyxiation Crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death of asphyxiation leading to a heart attack. When a person is hanging on a cross, in order to exhale, an individual must push up on his feet to release the tension on his muscles. Eventually this person would be to exhausted to do this, which would prevent him from breathing. As a person slows down his breathing, he goes into what is called respiratory acidosis causing the acidity of the blood to increase, and leading to an irregular heartbeat. Eventually this person would have died of Cardiac arrest. The biggest piece of evidence that Jesus truly died is that blood and water were seen flowing from Jesus when He was stabbed in the side (John 19.34). The idea that water flew out is completely rejected, but Metherell claims that this fluid only appeared to be water, but was actually pericardial and pleural effusion. These clear fluids surround the heart (peri) and lungs (pleural) in great quantities when there is heart failure so that when ruptured by the spear they would have gushed out. They would have appearing as water, and then would have been followed by a lot of flowing blood. This gives John great credibility as an eyewitness, and proves that Jesus was in fact dead. Even if we pretend that Jesus was able to survive through all this abuse, assuming that a cool tomb would resuscitate Him rather than just finish Him off is assuming too much. Also, one has to take in account that Jesus would have had to escape his linen wrappings (Mat. 27.59), roll the huge rock away from the tomb entrance, and get by the guards (as mentioned before), all on pierced wrists and ankles. I conclude by confidently saying that the Swoon theory is completely flawed and must be discredited. It ignores the deadly character of the wounds inflicted upon Jesus, the frightful lacerations of the hands and feet, the loss of strength through the ebbing away of blood, the hopelessness of human aid during the critical moments when it would be most needed, the tight-drawn bandage of the grave, the heavy stone. But even if Jesus did accomplish all of this, there is no way that the disciples would have claimed Him the Risen Lord and Conqueror of death while seeing Him in the pathetic conditions he was left in. Instead, they would have felt sorry for Him.

The Effects of War on the Environment

The Effects of War on the Environment The natural environment has been a strategic element of war since the first rock was thrown by the first cave dweller. The armies of ancient Rome and Assyria, to ensure the total capitulation of their enemies, reportedly sowed salt into the cropland of their foes, making the soil useless for farming- an early use of military herbicide, and one of the most devastating environmental effects of war. But history also provides lessons in eco-sensitive warfare. The Bible, in Deuteronomy 20:19, stays the hand of the warrior to minimize wars impact on nature and men alike: When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you? War and the Environment: Weve Been Lucky so Far War is waged differently today, of course, and has widespread environmental impacts that last far longer. The technology has changed, and the potential effects of the technology are very different, says Carl Bruch, co-director of international programs at the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C. Bruch, who is also the co-author of The Environmental Consequences of War: Legal, Economic, and Scientific Perspectives, notes that modern chemical, biological, and nuclear warfare has the potential to wreak unprecedented environmental havoc that, fortunately, we havent seen- yet. This is a great threat, Bruch says. But in some cases, precision weapons and other technological advances can shield the environment by targeting key facilities, leaving other areas relatively unscathed. You could make the argument that these weapons have the ability to minimize collateral damage, says Geoffrey Dabelko, director of the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Its Local: the Impact of War Today Warfare today also occurs infrequently between independent nations; more often, armed conflict breaks out between rival factions within a nation. These localized civil wars, according to Bruch, are usually beyond the reach of international treaties and bodies of law. Internal conflict is viewed as a matter of sovereignty- an internal matter, he says. As a result, environmental damage, like human rights violations, occurs unchecked by outside organizations. Though skirmishes, armed conflicts, and open warfare vary tremendously by region and by weapons used, the effects of war on the environment usually involve the following broad categories. Habitat Destruction and Refugees Perhaps the most famous example of habitat devastation occurred during the Vietnam War  when U.S. forces sprayed herbicides like Agent Orange on the forests and mangrove swamps that provided cover to guerrilla soldiers. An estimated 20 million gallons of herbicide were used, decimating about 4.5 million acres in the countryside. Some regions are not expected to recover for several decades. Additionally, when warfare causes the mass movement of people, the resulting impacts on the environment can be catastrophic. Widespread deforestation, unchecked hunting, soil erosion, and contamination of land and water by human waste occur when thousands of humans are forced to settle in a new area. During the Rwandan conflict in 1994, much of that countrys Akagera National Park was opened to refugees; as a result, local populations of animals like the roan antelope and the eland became extinct. Invasive Species Military ships, cargo airplanes, and trucks often carry more than soldiers and munitions; non-native plants and animals can also ride along, invading new areas and wiping out native species in the process. Laysan Island in the Pacific Ocean was once home to a number of rare plants and animals, but troop movements during and after World War II introduced rats that nearly wiped out the Laysan finch and the Laysan rail, as well as bringing in sandbur, an invasive plant that crowds out the native bunchgrass that local birds depend on for habitat. Infrastructure Collapse Among the first and most vulnerable targets of attack in a military campaign are the enemys roads, bridges, utilities, and other infrastructure. While these dont form part of the natural environment, the destruction of wastewater treatment plants, for example, severely degrades regional water quality. During the 1990s fighting in Croatia, chemical manufacturing plants were bombed; because treatment facilities for chemical spills werent functioning, toxins flowed downstream unchecked until the conflict ended. Increased Production Even in regions not directly affected by warfare, increased production in manufacturing, agriculture and other industries that support a war effort can wreak havoc on the natural environment. During World War I, former wilderness areas of the United States came under cultivation for wheat, cotton, and other crops, while vast stands of timber were clear-cut to meet wartime demand for wood products. Timber in Liberia, oil in Sudan, and diamonds in Sierra Leone are all exploited by military factions. These provide a revenue stream that is used to buy weapons, says Bruch. Scorched Earth Practices, Hunting, and Poaching The destruction of your own homeland is a time-honored, albeit tragic, wartime custom. The term scorched earth originally applied to the burning of crops and buildings that might feed and shelter the enemy, but its now applied to any environmentally destructive strategy. To thwart invading Japanese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), Chinese authorities dynamited a dike on the Yellow River, drowning thousands of Japanese soldiers- and thousands of Chinese peasants- while also flooding millions of square miles of land. Similarly, if an army crawls on its stomach, as is often says, then feeding an army often requires hunting local animals, especially larger mammals that often have lower rates of reproduction. In the ongoing war in Sudan, poachers seeking meat for soldiers and civilians have had a tragic effect on bush animal populations in Garamba National Park, just across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At one point, the number of elephants shrunk from 22,000 to 5,000, and there were only 15 white rhinos left alive. Biological, Chemical, and Nuclear Weapons The production, testing, transport and use of these advanced weapons is perhaps the single most destructive effects of war on the environment. Though their use has been strictly limited since the bombing of Japan by the U.S. military at the end of World War II, military analysts have grave concerns about the proliferation of nuclear material and chemical and biological weaponry. Weve been very fortunate that we have not seen the devastation that we might see, says Bruch. Researchers point to the use of depleted uranium (DU) as one particularly dangerous military trend. DU is a byproduct of the uranium-enrichment process. Almost twice as dense as lead, its valued in weapons for its ability to penetrate tank armor and other defenses. An estimated 320 tons of DU were used in the Gulf War in 1991; in addition to soil contamination, experts are concerned that soldiers and civilians may have been exposed to dangerous levels of the compound. How Environmental Problems Lead to War While the effects of war on the environment may be obvious, whats less clear are the ways that environmental damage itself leads to conflict. Factions in resource-poor countries like those in Africa, the Mideast, and Southeast Asia have historically used military force for material gain; they have few other options. Bruch explains that once armed conflict begins, soldiers and populations under siege must find immediate sources of food, water, and shelter, so theyre forced to adapt their thinking to short-term solutions, not long-term sustainability. This short-term desperation leads to a vicious cycle of conflict, followed by people who meet their immediate needs in unsustainable ways, bringing deprivation and disillusionment, which then leads to more conflict. One of the chief challenges is to break that cycle, Bruch says. Can Warfare Protect Nature? It seems counterintuitive, but some have argued that military conflicts often end up preserving the natural environment. Its one of the findings thats utterly contrary to expectations, says Jurgen Brauer, Ph.D., professor of economics at Augusta State University in Augusta, Ga. The most preserved area in all of Korea is the demilitarized zone because you have the exclusion of human activity, he says. Other researchers have noted that despite the massive amounts of herbicide use during the Vietnam War, more forests have been lost in that country since the war ended than during it, due to peacetime commerce and Vietnams quest for prosperity. The coal-black skies caused by the Kuwaiti oil fires in 1991 provided dramatic visual evidence of war-related environmental damage. However, these oil fires burned in one month roughly the amount of oil burned by the United States in a single day. Peace can be damaging, too, says Dabelko. You have some of these ironic twists. But experts are quick to emphasize that this is not an argument in favor of armed conflict. War is not good for the environment, adds Brauer, who is also an author of War and Nature: The Environmental Consequences of War in a Globalized World. And Bruch notes that warfare only delays the environmental damage of peaceful human activity and commerce. It may provide a respite, but the long-term effects of war arent that different from what happens under commercial development, he says. Winning the Peace As military planning evolves, it becomes apparent that the environment now plays a greater role in successful combat, especially after an armed conflict ends. At the end of the day, if youre trying to occupy an area, you have a strong incentive not to ruin it, Dabelko says. The aforementioned biblical quote from Deuteronomy about preserving trees is, perhaps, good advice for the ages. And some warriors are learning that theres more to be gained from preserving the environment than in destroying it. In war-torn Mozambique, former military combatants have been hired to work together as park rangers protecting the wildlife and natural habitats that they once sought to destroy. That built bridges between the military and the park service. It has worked, Bruch says. Natural resources can be very important in providing jobs and opportunities in post-conflict societies.

Apple Inc. Current market conditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Apple Inc. Current market conditions - Essay Example The firm is estimated to have the majority of the smart phone market with the main competitors being the Research in Motion of Canada, Samsung of North Korea and the upcoming Huawei of China. On its launch of the Smartphone, the firm was able to sell over ten million units within a month which was a record not only for the firm’s product sales but also for the market. New version of the same product has been very successful with million units in sales made for each new version which is after every two years. Apple has proved to the world that it is a future firm and that it is here to stay. This has to do with its history of innovation and surprising the consumers with new products just when the customers thought they had everything there is to have in the electronics industry. Generally, Apple is a successful company with a growing future. Though it faces threats such as competition from other providers in its line, it stands a better chance for success due to opportunities a nd market venture it has not touched. Law of diminishing demand Mentioning of recent or upcoming purchases of cars and computers suggests a strong consumer demand for the commodities. The confidence of consumers is measured by Consumer Confidence Index (CCI). Consumers’ confidence shows the optimism of the consumers on the economy. This can easily be expressed in their saving and spending activities (Barnes, 2012). Household surveys are carried out every month about the ongoing conditions and the expectations of the future regarding the United States economy. Data is available by age, region, and income for consumer attitudes and buying intentions. A healthy economy means consumers are willing to spend their money. The CCI is calculated from data gathered from 5000 households every month. Five questions are asked in the survey and each question is given a relative value. The values are calculated and compared against a benchmark value that was calculated in 1985. The 1985 ben chmark value is as is because that is when the CCI was first calculated. From the results, an index value is obtained for each of the five questions. The average index values of the questions are obtained and forms the consumer confidence index. Consumer spending is very imperative to a countries’ financial health. Consequently, the CCI is closely and accurately watched economic indicator. Changes of below 5% are usually said to be inconsequential. On the other hand, changes of 5% and above show very strong change in the direction of economy (Barnes, 2012). Competitors and the market While Apple is a leader in the industry, this does not mean that the firm does not have competition. The main competition is from Research in Motion who is the manufacturers of yet another market leading Smartphone, Samsung, which is a Korean electronics manufacturer that is catching up very quickly with the American manufacturers and finally Huawei which is a Chinese mobile communication devise manufacturers who have recently entered the market for Smartphone (Russolillo, 2012). Huawei especially offers a very different kind of competition because apart from having the advantage of the Asian cheap labour from china, it has a very keen focus on manufacturing low cost Smartphone and have entered into strategic coalitions with such giants as Google and a number of mobile phone operators in the world. The

Biomarkers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biomarkers - Essay Example In aquatic environment, biomarkers depend upon the physical environmental conditions such as temperature, pH or salinity, as well as toxic concentrations of chemical pollutants or any combination of these. Biomarkers can be categorized as non-specific and specific according to their responses to a particular element or a group of environmental factors (Mayer et al., 1992). non-specific biomarkers, for example ribonucleic acid/deoxyribonucleic acid, radiolabelled amino acid or nucleotide incorporation, and adenylate energy charge, give direct information on the growth rate or potential of an organism but they can not be used to determine the particular toxicant. Specific biomarkers can be again categorized n to two sub-categories, organ, and toxicant specific according to method of their recognition. Organ specific biomarkers are analyzed by examining changes in concentration specific enzymes in organisms whether as Toxicant-specific biomarkers are analyzed according to the exposure and effects on an organism due to a chemical or group of chemicals. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), transaminases, creatine phosphokina... criteria with which to assess results should be available Biomarkers can be categorized as non-specific and specific according to their responses to a particular element or a group of environmental factors (Mayer et al., 1992). non-specific biomarkers, for example ribonucleic acid/deoxyribonucleic acid, radiolabelled amino acid or nucleotide incorporation, and adenylate energy charge, give direct information on the growth rate or potential of an organism but they can not be used to determine the particular toxicant. Specific biomarkers can be again categorized n to two sub-categories, organ, and toxicant specific according to method of their recognition. Organ specific biomarkers are analyzed by examining changes in concentration specific enzymes in organisms whether as Toxicant-specific biomarkers are analyzed according to the exposure and effects on an organism due to a chemical or group of chemicals. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), transaminases, creatine phosphokinase, lysosomal enzymes, alkaline phosphatases and mixed function oxidase are the examples of organ specific biomarkers while as inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by organophosphates and inhibition of cytochrome P monooxygenase, methallothionein and metal binding proteins by metals are some of the toxicant specific biomarkers (Mayer et al., 1992; Gagn and Blaise, 1993). There are basically two parameters for biomarker assessment: global reference values and comparative values. global reference values can be developed for DNA adducts, ALA-D, AChE, scope for growth, CEA, PAH-metabolites, GST, lysosomal stability, micronucleus formation, vitellogenin, MT biomarkers and comparative values can be used for ethoxyresoroufin-o-deethylase (EROD), antioxidant enzymes, peroxisomal

Physics of Football Essay -- physics sport sports american football

Watching a weekend football game could be teaching you something other than who threw the most passes or gained the most yards. Football provides some great examples of the basic concepts of physics! Physics is present in the flight of the ball, the motion of the players, and the force of the tackles. This web page will show you how physics applies to these areas of football. What Exactly Is Physics and What Does It Have to Do with Football? When you throw a football across the yard to your friend, you are using physics. You make adjustments for all the factors, such as distance, wind and the weight of the ball. The farther away your friend is, the harder you have to throw the ball, or the steeper the angle of your throw. This adjustment is done in your head, and it's physics. Physics is the branch of science that deals with the physical world. The area of physics that is most relevant to football is mechanics, the study of motion and its causes. The three main categories of motion that apply to the game are: * delivery of a football through the air (pass, punt, kickoff, field goal, extra point) * runners on the field (backs, receivers, linemen) * stopping runners on the field (tackling, blocking) FLIGHT OF THE BALL When the football travels through the air (long pass, punt, kickoff, field goal), it always follows a curved, or parabolic, path because the movement of the ball in the vertical direction is influenced by the force of gravity As the ball travels up, gravity slows it down until it stops briefly at its peak height, the ball then comes down, and gravity accelerates it until it hits the ground. This... ... the amount of force applied: Less force is required farther out from the center of mass than closer in. So, by tackling a runner low -- far from the center of mass -- it takes less force to tackle him than if he were tackled high. Also, if a runner is hit exactly at his center of mass, he will not rotate, but instead will be driven in the direction of the tackle. Similarly, coaches often advise linemen to stay low. This brings their center of mass closer to the ground, so an opposing player, no matter how low he goes, can only contact them near their center of mass. This makes it difficult for an opposing player to move them, because they will not rotate upon contact. This technique is critical for a defensive lineman in defending his own goal in the "red" zone, the last 10 yards before the goal line.

Main Divisions Within the Democrat Party Essay

There have always been different divisions within the Democrat Party and it has historically been factionalised into two main groups (as seen in the New Deal Coalition). There is the southern conservative wing, made up of Democrats from southern states who hold conservative views on issues including social and economic issues. These Democrats are seldom reliable voters in Congress, often voting with the Republicans on fiscal issues e.g. in 2009 some Blue Dog Democrats voted against Obama’s fiscal stimulus package. The second key factions within the Democrat Party is the north eastern liberal wing made up of Democrats from the West Coast and north eastern states. This division is the division that alienated the traditional Democrat voters from the south during the break up on the ‘solid south’ after the north eastern liberals supports the Civil Rights Movement. President Obama, when first elected in 2008, was the first northeaster liberal to become President since President Kennedy in 1960. In the 1980’s a new division within the Democrat Party emerged with the development of the ‘New Democrats’, mainly associated with President Clinton, Al Gore and the Democratic Leadership Council who developed due to their acknowledgment of the need to triangulate to improve the Democrat’s chances of winning the presidency. New Democrats are centrists sometimes known as the ‘Third Way’ and hold more moderate social positions and have neo-liberal fiscal values, shown by Clinton’s repeal of the Glass Steagall Act 1999. Overall there are two historic divisions within the Democrat Party; the north eastern liberals and the southern conservative Democrats, though recent decades have seen the emergence of a third division; the New Democrats.

Florence Nightingale Quotes From The Nursing Pioneer

A pioneer in the nursing field, Florence Nightingale established herself as a competent nursing administrator during the Crimean War, where her insistence on sanitary conditions cut the death rate considerably. She continued to advance the field in her later years, providing better health service and opportunities for women at the same time. Born into an upper-class British family in 1820, Florence had an unusually liberal upbringing, with both her parents interested in humanitarian causes; her grandfather had been a prominent abolitionist. Despite this, even their outlook had its limits: they were horrified when Florence, as a young woman, declared that she intended to become a nurse and believed she was called to do so by God. Nevertheless, she pursued her education, rebelling against societal expectations that she would become a wife and mother and instead devoting her life to her career. Florence traveled extensively throughout Europe and even went as far as Egypt; she later published many of her writings from this era. Eventually, she returned to London and became the superintendent at the Institute for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen. It was in 1854 that her career changed forever, when word got to England about the horrific conditions in hospitals in the Ottoman Empire during the Crimean War. The unsanitary medical conditions were causing more deaths than the injuries warranted, but under Florences hygiene guidance - and her pleas sent back to England for government assistance to improve conditions - the death rate plummeted from 42% to approximately 2%. After the war, she returned to Britain, where she received funds to start a nursing school. She also wrote Notes on Nursing, a seminal text that emphasized hygiene and sanitation above all else. Thanks to Florences innovations, connections, and sheer determination, nursing transformed from a job done by untrained women who just needed work to a trained, formal profession. Selected Florence Nightingale Quotations Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore.Let whoever is in charge keep this simple question in her head (not, how can I always do this right thing myself, but) how can I provide for this right thing to be always done?Women never have a half-hour in all their lives (excepting before or after anybody is up in the house) that they can call their own, without fear of offending or of hurting someone. Why do people sit up so late, or, more rarely, get up so early? Not because the day is not long enough, but because they have no time in the day to themselves. [1852]And so is the world put back by the death of every one who has to sacrifice the development of his or her peculiar gifts (which were meant, not for selfish gratification, but for the improvement of that world) to conventionality. [1852]It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a Hospital that it should do the sick no harm. [1859]I did no t think of going to give myself a position, but for the sake of common humanity. [about her Crimean war service]Nursing is become a profession. Trained Nursing no longer an object but a fact. But oh, if home Nursing could become an everyday fact here in this big city of London.... [1900]I can stand out the war with any man.I stand at the altar of the murdered men, and, while I live, I fight their cause. [1856]Never dispute with anybody who wishes to contradict you, says a most reasonable saint. For even if you are victorious, yours ifs the loss. [1873]Asceticism is the trifling of an enthusiast with his power, a puerile coquetting with his selfishness or his vanity, in the absence of any sufficiently great object to employ the first or overcome the last. [1857]No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this -- devoted and obedient. This definition would do just as well for a porter. It might even do for a horse. It would not do for a po liceman. [1859]While my dear mother loses her memory (consciously, alas! to herself) she gains in every thing else -- in truth of view, in real memory of the phases of the past, in appreciation of her great blessings, in happiness, real content and cheerfulness -- and in lovingness. I am quite sure that, during the nearly half-century in which I have known her, I have never seen her any thing like so good, so happy, so wise or so really true as she is now. [letter, about 1870]For what is Mysticism? Is it not the attempt to draw near to God, not by rites or ceremonies, but by inward disposition? Is it not merely a hard word for The Kingdom of Heaven is within? Heaven is neither a place nor a time. [1873]Mankind must make heaven before we can go to heaven (as the phrase is), in this world as in any other. [1873]To be a fellow worker with God is the highest aspiration of which we can conceive man capable. [1873]I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their d uty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel.You ask me why I do not write something.... I think ones feelings waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results. Selected Sources Nightingale, Florence. Notes on Nursing: What Nursing Is, What Nursing is Not.  Philadelphia, London, Montreal: J.B. Lippincott Co. 1946 Reprint. First published London, 1859: Harrison Sons.Nightingale, Florence; McDonald, Lynn.  Florence Nightingales Spiritual Journey: Biblical Annotations, Sermons and Journal Notes. Collected Works of Florence Nighingale (Editor Lynn McDonald). Ontario, Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2001.Florence Nightingales Theology: Essays, Letters and Journal Notes. Collected Works of Florence Nighingale (Editor Lynn McDonald).  Ontario, Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. 2002.