Florence Nightingale Book

I picked this book up in our local library; I was attracted to the author's last name, which was the last name of the vet that my little dog when I was growing up. Turns out that vet and this author were one and the same!! And the animal hospital he write about was the animal hospital where we took our, my, first beloved doggie. It's not named in the book, but it was the Narberth Animal Hospital in the heart of the Main Line.

That said, the book held my attention from first to last. I learned so much from reading this book, 50 years after Dr. Scanlon took care of my dog. His stories are amazing and humorous, and written so well... his reflections on his animal patients and the human owners (more difficult to deal with than the animals)... He writes about Philadelphia politics and scandals from what he learned and experienced first hand from his often challenging affluent clients. The stories all together are so educational and entertaining. But the biggest thing I learned was to have respect and perspective on how far animal rights have come... When I was growing up stray animals were routinely brought to "the pound" - down the street from where I lived - and it was Dr. Scanlon who was at the forefront of the fight for more humane treatment of animals who were lost, sick or dying and brought there to be inhumanely killed.

We take a lot for granted these days and it was heroes of my childhood such as Dr. Scanlon who, in the 50's, who were willing to do their job in the veterinary hospital - and to address and advocate for a more humane treatment of animals - and who deserve our respect.

Not too many people know about this book. But if you can locate a copy of this wonderful book, then do so and read it.