How Florence Nightingale chose to challenge
When you hear the name Florence Nightingale, you probably picture the ‘lady with the lamp’, an icon of nursing. But did you know, Florence Nightingale was a pioneer of data visualisations, enacting social change that saved countless lives?
I’ve recently completed a course on Data Visualisation (by Bill Shander) and learnt of Florence Nightingale’s achievements with data, design and storytelling to enact a public health revolution. My existing knowledge of her was limited to her nursing, so I was keen to learn more.
Today, March 8 is International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Florence Nightingale chose to challenge existing systems.
Background
Florence Nightingale witnessed horrific conditions nursing soldiers in the Crimean War. The hospitals lacked sanitation and it was evident to Nightingale that the open sewers, poor ventilation and vermin were contributing to the deaths. At the time, it was just accepted that these deaths were unavoidable. She challenged the complacency of the enormous death toll. Her data, and the way she presented it, persuaded the medical establishment that these deaths were in fact avoidable.
Persuading the medical establishment to change
At a time when beautiful design was not at all commonplace, Florence Nightingale crafted a diagram that represented the horrifying loss of life. The diagram told a compelling story.
The second circle shows that once hygiene measures were enacted, deaths were avoided.
“Diagram of the Causes of Mortality in the Army in the East”, Florence Nightingale (1858)
“Whenever I am infuriated, I revenge myself with a new diagram.”
Nightingale’s data visualisations communicated complex information, in a simple and accessible way, leading to health reforms that ultimately saved lives. Her story demonstrates the power of visual communication, and her legacy of innovation lives on.
For more detail, listen to this fascinating Episode of 99% Invisible podcast. ‘Florence Nightingale: Data Viz Pioneer’ .
