Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-03-08
WITH THE WOUNDED
Victims Of Balkan War Saved
From Death by New Surgery.
Wonderful Work Of Doetors and
Nurses at Hospital In Belgrade
Men Shot Through Head or
Heart Often Recover.


OF war, as shown In the improvised
military hospitals OF Belgrade. pro
sents many touching scenes. Every
school in Servia has been tIined into
a hospital. Here, where there are q
great many wounded from the battle
OF koumanova, and from the sktr'
mishes about Monastir. not only the
schools, but every available building.
including the local barracks and a su-
gar factory. has been transformed into
wards with neat rows of white beds.
Practically every country in Europe
has sent corps of surgeons and
nurses TO the war. The United States
has done It's share by contributing 70
the work OF these devoted Red Cross
toilers about s12.000-more than any
other nation. The surgeons are all
greatly interested In their cases. for
modern warfare. with small powerful
ly driven steel bullets. presents re
markable wounds.
At the time of the American Civil war
arms and legs were Topped OF by thou
sands to prevent blood poisoning. In
these days CT antiseptic surger, there
10 almost no amputation. One soldier
was shot through the middle VI the
finger: his whole finger has been
saved A number were struck when
firing from lying posture. the bullet
passing through the head. straight
down through the heart and out al
the thigh. The lives of several sc
wounded have been saved. II used &c
be considered fatal to be struck In
neart or head In these hospitals there
are men who have been shot right
through heart or head and who will re
cover. Often It is not considered nee
essary to extract bullets which have
lodged In the body. The wound is sim.
ply disinfected and allowed to heal.
Nothing IL more significant Of the
fine quality of the Servian peasantry
than the speed with which their
wounds have, cicatrfzed. The surgeons
are amazed. and lay the phenomenon
to pure blood. untainted by alcohol
Many brought here within the last two
months have recovered. and gone back
to the front.
One OF the most interesting hos
ritals is In charge OF the Russian
corps. in the local exposition building.
Nearly all the nurses here are women
OF good family. number of whom Sot
experience in the Russo-Japanese war.
Enter this ward That blond young
woman ironing sheets near the door in
the corridor is the daughter of the
Russian ambassador. These are
wounded Servian officers In here. II
is the visiting hour. In Servia 1t is
the custom to congratulate soldier
who receives a wound. In comes q
dumpy old peasant woman. her wrin-
kled face beaming. and drawing forth
an orange from her clothes she toddles
straight toward one of the beds. where
follows tender greeting between her
and her soldier son. Speak to this
handsome young fellow.
YES. sir, l was one of the 10000
Servians who went to help the Bui.
garians around Adrianople after our
own work was done. I was wounded
in skirmish in the trenches. But
you should talk to that officer over
there He is a major and hero"
81 got my wound at Koumanova--
or, rather. my five wounds" His face
lighted up with pride as he spoke I'VE
had driven the Turks back that day
and at night they tried to retaliate.
We charged them through the dark
and was caught In their voiley. The
Servian officer, SIR. is always at the
head OF his men,"
In the next ward are some private
soldiers nearly well One is playing a
rustic flute and other are dancing
.'koio," the national country dance.
with some of the pretty Russian
nurses.
Here are more serious cases. That
old man-what is he doing here7
Yves. sir. | am last defense man.
I was engaged with others in the rear
guard. burying some dead. when
band of Moslem villagers suddenly
fell upon us. I was shot before
could drop my spade. We drove them
Off. though. and they ran ur into the
hills"
Upstairs is a large ward of Turkish
wounded. Do not imagine because Rus
sian sympathies ara with the Servians
that these stricken enemies get any
the worse treatment On the con-
trary. it is almost as II the doctors
and nurses took pride In being kind
to these vanauished ones.
.ar
B.