IN SERBIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10296, 3 June 1919, Page 10

IN SERBIA

THE SCOTTISH WOMEN’S HOSPITAL * The unit Of the Scottish Women's Hospitals which was in charge of Hr Agnes Bennett, of Wellington, moved . into Serbia, and was Quartered at 'Nranja when' the victorious armies advanced. The following letter, dated. November last, from the . superintendent,- 'describes some of the unit’s difficulties: —About a month ago-wo hud’ orders to evacuate' all oatients and prepare to SO once. Dr. Eiaisiie succeeded DrBennett) aiid I started at once, The drsc day wo got as tar as H s hu> nest day arrived at v r a ?jlo- -the. hospital is an enormous building, and was used as a barracks. . Doctors add students were working night and d-.v, apcl oatients were pouring in au luo time. The prospects were appalling, hundreds of patients wanting help of every kind. There, was practically no rood;- in the country, and coffee was a kilo, tea jA 10s. sugar about Jil Ids, and everytniiig in proportion, and very lulie to height oven at-those pnceS; so amt i nun led down ;to Salonika to -oucct au cue food, drugs) and equipment i c old, general Fortcstjue gave me permission to buy what 1 wanted irom the British clrdnance, and the Ked Cross people, gave me sheets, socks, pyjamas, boxes of milk, ate We were a most imposing looking convoy, with two touring smaU i ord van, three ambulances, two beiaen s and the O.M.C. lorry, with, sisters in .-aoh and the bare necessaries of Lie in ciieir havfersacks, and food enough for a aye-days journey. They also earned a camp ced, ground sheet, pillow, and two blankets each; In Atonaetir I met a man who had "treked" through Albania with us. He was running a T.MX.A. canteen, and he gave us a place behind his tents for our wagons, ana made tea for the whole formidable party. It was rather a wonderful sight to see our rows of little beds, with the sisters sleeping placidly, while a few yards away guns, ammunition and soldiers of many nations passed along in a steady stream. In all the villages through which we passed we found Serbian flags flying and everyone looking relieved aiid expectant. Di Elmslie and I arrived in velcs about a o’clock, and were lucky enough, to find two' of the "Elsie Inglis’’ Unit. Our parly did not turn up, but spent the a.ght at the top of the Baboona Pass, where the Serbs had fought so valiantly. Some of the scenery through which we passed was very wonderful, and over the beautiful mountains wo were '.passing endless streams of traffic. In Uskub we went to Lady Paget’s old hospital, whore we found some of the Serbian relief people busy getting it into order. Dr Ohesney and her people had just arrived tO’work there.. We arrived at Vranja and found no' preparations : had been miido for us. The Serbian ambulance left the hospital about 6 o'clock, and we «et • o work to get some of the wards cleaned up. Patients had poured in to Vranja during the advance, and at times there were t.iflO patients in all sorts of odd corners. ’ Four Serbian, doctors and a tew medical students had heroically worked and treated not only the wounded in hospital but all the people in town who were, suffering frojjt Spanish influ. enza, so you can imagine there was no time for cleaning.

I can never say enough for the way everyone has buckled to and worked, end it has been work-under the very greatest difficulties, as we did not possess a single brush, dusters, pail, nor a single niece of soap, and yet the wards got cleaned with brushes made from branches cut from the trees round the hospital. This is an enormous building, originally used as a barracks, and there are many cuthouses of all sorts, a good garage with concrete floor, excellent places for storing. In one of' the wards we found several English Tommies suffering from influenza; one" died next morning. We were glad to he here and see that he was decently buried. We made a wreath and cross, and as many nurses who could went to his. funeral; his comrades carried him to the cemetery, and Dr Elmslie road a short service at the grave. The doctor and sisters have done wonders for the other boys, and they are improving. We get at present only meat and bread rations, and we are providing ail the rest for about 525 people, as we- -have ir.a n, Austrians and Bulgarians, sick, as well as prisoners who work in the hospital. Ine tuiu ions here are awful. Tile people say the Germans' took all the food and useful material out of the country before they left, so that the suffering bar been terrible, so that the efforts of the S.VV.H. are much appreciated by ell. Serbs, French, and British. We want ah the clothing wo can 'get. every thing l» needed badly; men, women, and children are nearly naked. The suffering and sadness all round are simply terrible. A Serbian officer, who was brought in. told us his pitiful tale. He had gone into Serbia with his heait full of joy. After three years of separation he was to see his wife and children. He had found his home burned, and his wife and little children hanged by the Buigars. Ho said ho was only one of many who bad the same experience, and some ot them shot themselves, ore-, went mad. I, four there is terrible suffering and sorrow in store for many of the poor Serbs: cin the other hand there will be some happy meetings. 1 brought letters and a parcel for a doctor in Vodena to his wife and children, who Jive here, and it was wonderful to see th-'ir joy, and his old mother’s joy was too wonderful. blip had mourned him for three years as they told her he was dead!