Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-07-19
AMERICANS HAVE
CLEANED SERBIA
Typhus Hospitals Actually Closed
for Lack of Patients Owing
to Yankee Care.
EFFICIENCY BRINGS RESULTS

LONDON, July 1S.-"Miraculous
is the only proper adjective to apply
TO the work being done by American
doctors and nurses in Serbia" said
Sir Thomas Upton today, following
his return from his second trip to the
near east with the hospital yacht
Erin. &.
"As usual" continued Sir Thomas. ''the
Americans excel in organization and pre-
ventive measures. The French and Eng
lish units are doing good work in the
hospitals, but credit for the work OF sani-
tation, which is rapidly making typtus
a thing of the past, must go to the Amer
leans, whose magnificent efforts have
made them loved by every Serbian from
the king to the lowest peasant, all Of
whom seem fully to appreciate the eS-
forts OF the Red Cross in their behalf.
when 1 was in Serbit on my first
trip" continued Sir Thomas. 1T was un-
safe TO travel in the country, which was
then so badly infected from vermin as to
make necessary the use Of antiseptics
night and morning. But on this trip no
such precautions were necessary, thanks
to the sanitation reforms enforced by
Americans. The hospitals are now as
clean as any to be found in Europe,
while hotels and dwellings are beginning
to observe sanitary regulations.
Hospitals Closed.
"At the height of the epidemic there
were probably 10000 cases of typhus
but many typhus hospitals have been
closed for lack of patients. At Chew
gheli. where DR.. James F. Donnelly. now
Serblas national hero, died. there were
once 1,4OO patients in the American hos
pital. Now there are only three suffering
from typhus.
AT Uskub I saw IN operation the ma
chinery with which American doctors
and sanitary experts are washing the
whole nation. Near the town three long
railroad trains were standing in the midst
of city of tents. From these tents
there poured an army of naked men car
rying their clothing in their hands. Stop
ping at the first train they deposited
their clothes in AGAR where they were
thoroughly sterilized. Then the owner
proceeded 10 the bath car. where an at
tendant placed him under high pressure
water pipes. When he was completely
scrubbed, the next step was an inspec-
tion by an American. after which the
bather received sterilized clothing
Members of the Turkish population,
which is large in this part OF Serbia proz
tested vigorously against disrobing for
the bath. on the ground that such a pro
cedure violated their religious principles.
H.trF b. a,,t
tary commission has complete power 10
enforce its regulations. After the army
OF men had been treated during the day,
me women and children were given baths
during the night.
Regiment InOcuIated,
THE next day 1 saw a whole regiment
inoculated against cholera with a speed
and efficiency almost Incredible 70 any
one who does not understand American
methods. Cholera may come again, but
it is no longer feared.
"In brief, It can be said that American
methods OF prevention and cure have
one time TO be the worst series of cpl
denies ever suffered by a modern nation.
''Dr. Edward w. Ryan has 5000 pa
tients. mostly wounded. at Belgrade in a
hospital pronounced by experts 20 be of
the best. DIR. Ryan has not fully re-
covered from his illness with typhus. but
manages to direct the big hospital.
The whole task Is IN charge OF DR..
Richard p. Strong OF Harvard. 10 whom
the lions share OF credit for the direction
OF the great work must be given. This
is due as much TO his magnetic person
ality as to his skill. While Dr. Strong
was in salonikas the Grecian queen sent
for him to see the king"