124 A Short History of Nursing ity Service. Many of the branches of active assistance on such lines begun by her were taken over afterwards by the war department. She or- ganized a post-office and a savings fund for the men, provided rest and recreation rooms for them, fitted up convalescent camps, supplied them with opportunity for study, investigated every detail of their health, dietary, and routine, and organized systematic care for their families. It will be interesting to modem army nurses to know that Miss Nightingale did not have official j,^^ rank given her until intrigues and question jealousies among the army medical of rank ^^^^ nearly undermined her position that she threatened to resign. The cul- minating point of this cabal was that in some way a second party of nurses was sent out from Eng- land, without her knowledge or request, and they were not assigned to her, but were to report for duty to a military surgeon who was her chief enemy. Sidney Herbert was not to blame for this. It is not made clear in her "Life" who was at fault, but Miss Nightingale's hold on the affections of the English people was so close, and she had to such an extent the support of the royal family, that she was able to maintain her position. She at one time wrote of the War Office: "It is profuse in empty
