Although the practice of military medicine and surgery goes back to antiquity, the British date the proper care of the wounded from the arrival of Florence Nightingale at Scutari in Turkey on 4 November 1854. The 140th anniversary of her work in that winter of the Crimean war is being celebrated by an exhibition at the Florence Nightingale Museum, 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EW, from 1 December 1994 till 30 April 1995. For the first time in this country it will tell a little of the other side of the story--the exploits of Russian nurses in caring for the casualties from both sides in the conflict--which is the subject of this article.