ABSTRACT
In 1870, Florence Nightingale was made an honorary member of the Bengal Social Science Association in Calcutta and she responded graciously. The Bengal Social Science Association was the brainchild of Mary Carpenter and Rev. James Long. Mary Carpenter, the Unitarian philanthropist who made her name in the fields of reformatory schools, prison discipline, juvenile welfare and rehabilitation of young female prisoners in India, was associated with the British Social Science Association and knew Florence well, and so did Long. Between May and June 1870, Florence wrote two letters to the Secretaries of the Bengal Social Science Association. The first was her letter of acceptance for the honorary membership. The second was a covering letter, accompanied by a long address to the members of the Association. In this address, she placed in front of them what she called 'the social aspect of the Indian public health problem'.
