Ancient history shows records of nursing.What we know about the care of the sick in ancient times has been discovered through songs and findings of archaeologists.People were interested in the mysteries of life,birth,disease and death.Men lived very close to nature;life was very simple;people made few changes except when men were compelled to do so.Men attributed spiritual value to all natural objects,believing that objects in nature such as trees or rivers had spirit or soul.Objects in nature became friends such as water and trees,while storms and poisonous plants became enemies.Attitudes changed according to man's ability to control nature.They thanked friendly harmless objects for their help and tried to cooperate with the unfriendly,threatening situations.

Disease was believed to be caused by evil spirits within the body.The body had to undergo unpleasant experiences to get rid of these evil spirits.Men thought disease was caused by their failure to satisfy the gods, or was punishment for their sins.These ideas are still prevalent today even among highly civilized and intelligent people.

People were ignorant of the laws of nature.People were beaten to get rid of evil spirits;sudden fright,loud noises and magic ceremonies were also used to get rid of evil spirit.Holes on the bodies were made for the evil spirits to escape.Sacrifices were offered as a treatment.Care was given by the man who knew the signs and symptoms of evil spirits and knew what to do in certain conditions.He wore a strange dress and used magic words.He took his role as a priest.He attempted to understand and control the forces of health and disease.The skill of primitive men in fighting disease has given us many medical and surgical treatments.Massage,fomentation,triphining,bone setting,amputations,hot and cold baths,abdominal sections and heat to control haemorrhage are some of the skills gained from primitive men.

The earliest Indian medicine was Ayur Veda Medicine found in Veda 5000 B.C.About 1400 B.C. Charaka,the father of medicine,wrote a book on internal medicine.From these books we learn the hospitals were large and well equipped.Surgery had advanced to a high level.Doctors and attendants or nurses had to be people of high moral character.King Ashoka B.C.226-250,built monasteries and houses for travellers;hospitals for men and animals were founded.Hygienic practise was adapted;cleanliness of body was a religious duty.First importance was given to prevention of diseases.Doctors and nurses were expected to be skillful and trustworthy.They had to keep their nails short.Nurses were usually men or old women.

China was quite advanced in medicine.Before 2000 B.C.,medical professionals were allowed to practice dissection.They knew about circulation of blood.They had good description of internal organs.Sen-Lung was known as the father of medicine.The doctors used systematic method of diagnosis.Their slogan was Look,Listen,Ask and Feel.By 100B.C. they used vaccination.They recognized syphilis,gonorrhoea,used liver diets for anaemia,seaweed or iodine for thyroid conditions and chaulmoogra oil for leprosy by 3000 A.D.

Bathing and wearing clean clothes were advised and practised.Importance was given to hygiene.But nursing was not practised as they believed that disease was due to evil spirits in the patient and they might enter anyone who touched the sick person.Medical progress was therefore hindered by this belief in common people.

During 1500 B.C. Egyptians used Castor oil and lead and copper salts as remedies for diseases.There were well specialised doctors for eyes and tooth.They had good knowledge of community health.There were planned cities and public baths.They had underground drains and midwives for deliveries.

People in Greece believed that medicine was of divine origin and was represented by many gods.Apollo,the sun god,represented health and medicine,his son Aesculapius, was the god of healing and his daughter, Hygeia, was the goddess of health.Temples were built for gods.A priest physician was in charge of it.People came to the temple and believed that during their sleep god would appear and prescribe them treatment.They used special diets and massage bath.

Hippocrates gave scientific views to medicine.He was known as the father of medicine.He taught doctors signs and symptoms of diseases.The treatment was based on diagnosis.He developed ways of doing physical examination and taking histories.Stress was given on good health by giving good diet, fresh air and maintaining cleanliness.He gave instructions in hot applications,poultices,cold sponge for fever,fluid for kidney diseases and mouth washes.Rome learnt a lot from Greece about medicine.Rome built good sanitation,good roads and bridges.There were pubic baths for men and women;drinking water was brought by channel or large pipes.Drainage system and sewage were made.They built market places and hospitals.

Old women and men of good character did nursing in those days.

The modern form of nursing was started by Florence Nightingale.Before that,it was influenced by religious groups.In the 15th and 16th centuries,nursing was dominated in Europe by religious bodies including Benedictine and Augustinian sisters,Franciscan brothers and sisters of charity.Original motivation for caring for the sick was in order to ensure one's salvation by engaging in self-sacrificing work.That is why nursing was considered as a noble work.Today,the salvation has been replaced by a desire to serve people,nation and the world with the help of scientific technology.

Actually,Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)revived nursing during her life time.She said,"Nursing is to help the patient to live."

She was one of the most influential reformers of her time.Even today,her writings remain as relevant as they were 120 years ago.Her own practical experiences combined with her own aims for the nursing profession gave her a greater insight into problems of hospital administration than her contemporaries.Her social position enabled her to give ideas to the committees,which controlled the voluntary hospitals in those days.But above all,she had the determination to use every weapon she possessed including charm and social pressure to achieve the objective she had in mind,thus becoming the greatest publicist the profession has ever had.After the Crimean War of 1854,nursing could never be the same again.Florence Nightingale's adventure in Crimea,drew public attention on an enormous scale to the problems of nursing role in transforming the recruitment,training and practice of the new profession.