For Florence Nightingale I should think the episode might be instructive and everyway useful one. She will probably saw her wild oats in the shape of unsatisfied aspirations and activity and come back and marry suitably to immense comfort of her relations.’
Emily listening to her sister rejected the offer to work in Crimea, instead went to look for other ways to practice medicine in London. In May 1856, she wrote to nightingale seeking advice. Nightingale replied with a letter: I would have replied sooner had I had any opinion to give worth you having. But I have been 1 ½ years away from England and I cannot there give any judgement upon the state of opinion there now relative to women undertaking medicine and surgery. So far on can safely say that the first woman who undertakes it will have hard struggle and will probably face sacrifice either in sprits or in pocket. But pioneers must always be prepared to throw their bodies into the beach.... A mistake of ignorance and profession, using her profession for the sake of social advancement of feminine affection would check that cause for fifty years. Pray remember me most affectionately to your sister whom I shall never forget. And believe me yours most truly though I have never had the pleasure of seeing