Semi-weekly herald., 1915-05-20

DUHA
that at that time typhus was an epi-
demic in Austria.
Blame for keeping the rest of the
world from knowing the terrible con-
ditions that have existed in Serbia for
three months rests with the French
and English censorship, rather than
with the Serbians. France and Eng
land did not want Austria to know
to what straits their little ally had
been reduced. The first real story of
the facts was brought to England by
Sir Thomas Upton, who made a per-
sonal inspection of conditions. Rough
shedding over the British press CEN
sorship, he openly declared that, un-
less the most vigorous and extensive
help was at once given, the little Bal
kan state that had twice defeated the
Austrians in the cause of the allies,
stood to lose at least half of its popu-
lation.
Sir Thomas Lipton's account of To-
cal conditions failed utterly, however,
to give adequate idea of the terrible
situation. Although it must be ad-
mitted that while France and Eng
land, through their censorship pre-
vented the rest of the world from
knowing and extending the help that
might have saved $4,000 lives, they
have extended very great help to
their small ally. So far, however, it
has been entirely inadequate and the
grim disease has kept steadily at
work in its toll of hundreds of lives
daily.
Even now Serbia's declaration that
the disease is under control is based
more on the hope that the measures
taken will prove effective rather than
on any great check of the epidemic.
That there has been a slight diminu-
ton now for two weeks past cannot
be denied. For the fight on disease,
Serbia must depend on foreign help.
The fifteen southern provinces have
been turned over to the mission of
the Rockefeller foundation, sent out in
onjunction with the Red Cross. The
central part of Serbia, about Uskub
and Kraguyevats has been turned
over to the English, who now have a
total of 300 doctors and nurses there
1he northern paris OF Serbia is in
the hands of Russians, although at
Belgrade, where the disease is es-
pecially strong and fatal, the Ameii-
can Red Cross units are also fighting
the grim fight France has just sent
a mission of 100 doctors and sanitary
experts who will endeavor to work
over the sanitation of the whole coun-
try.
Owing to the pitiful condition In
which the little country was, even be-
fore the war started, this foreign
help is declared by the members of
the various missions themselves to be
wholly inadequate. 1t is much more,
however, than Serbia has ever had
at any time in the past, that she is
pinning hopes of her continued ex-
istence to it with almost pitiful con-
| fidence.
When the present war broke out
\ there was in all Serbia, with a popu-
lation of 100000 people, only 900
doctors. The majority of these had
to go at once to the army, leaving
the civilian population practically
without medical help. OF this heroic
little band Of doctors, one-third have
already fallen victims to the epidem-
ic which they were fighting. With
those who remain, and with the other
doctors who have been sent by vari-
Gus foreign governments, together
with 140 which the Serbian govern
ment secured by offering a salary of
$3.50 a month to any physician who
would come, there are now in all Ser
bia still very few more than 1000
doctors. This about one physician for
every 5000 of population.
Terrible as this lack Of doctors is
it is as nothing in comparison with
the lack of hospitals and medical sup
plies. So scarce were the latter fol.
lowing serbia's last great battle that
the bandages had to be taken from
those less seriously hurt and reused
on grave cases. In the frightful fever
which burns up typhus victims, cold
packs have to be used. Aside from
there not being enough doctors and
nurses to apply these to more than