New Britain herald., 1916-05-15
New Britain Woman Physi- clan Taken Into Custody in English Town Because She Had Map Showing Places Where Bombs from Air Raiders Had Struck.
SERBIAN RETREAT
 WONDERFUL SIGHT
Many Difficulties Encountered in Jour ney from Serbia to United States and Everywhere She and Her Guide Were Under Suspicion of Being in League With Enemy-In Danger of Submarines in North Sea.

Thoroughly recovered from the at tack of malaria she suffered on ar rival in New York from England several weeks ago, pr. Catherine A. Travis has returned to New Britain and for the present is staying with Miss Anna G. Rockwell at 150 West Main street. Although brimful of war zone experiences, she appears to have been little affected by ten months of exciting life abroad. These experiences run the gamut of prescribing for hundreds of babies, the children of Serbian refugees, attending wounded fresh from the front being under constant suspicion and frequent arrest and to cap the climax witnessing a Zeppelin raid while in an English town.
 As will be recalled Dr. Travis left New Britain last July for Nish, Ser bia, where Madame Grouitch has pre- Iared a hospital for Serbian babies. She reached Nish via. Soliniki early in August and for a time worked in tent dispensary. This was con- oucted by Dr. Louise Taylor Jones, whom Dr. Travis finally succeeded. Although laboring under great diff culties they were able in the tent dispensary to do a great amount of work and the Serbian mothers were delighted with the results. These peasant mothers walked in from the villages, carrying their infants on their backs and often walking all night. Dr. Travis pays the highest compliments to these Serbian women. Their courage, she says, is without limit, and they have performed miracles in the way of work since the war came, doing both their house. work and labor of the men in the fields.
 Near the Fighting Line.
 Early in October the hospital at Nish was opened, but this came just as the great Austro- German drive began and there was a demand at once for doctors at the front. So the hospital was immediately closed and the whole staff, doctors and nurses. went to Belgrade. There they opened dressing rooms at the railroad sta tions Although at no time were they permitted to reach the actual zone of fire, the roar of the big guns played an accompaniment to their work. Day and night they toiled as fast as the wounded were brought in. These were dumped into straw strewn on the floors of the dressing rooms. The Serbians were well pleased with the treatment and considered them selves well off to get bed of straw.
 Retreat to Nish.
 When the retreat began and the soldiers, guns and munitions were loaded aboard trains, the doctors and nurses fell into line and continued with the retiring force until Nish was reached Dr. Travis declares this re- treat one of the most Wonderful sights she ever witnessed The trains filled with soldiers rolled out in seemingly endless procession and the roads on either hand were choked with baggage wagons. Although hurried, the retreat was orderly and the Serbians managed to get away with the bulk of their supplies.
 The Fall of Nish.
 The party was back in Nish when the advancing Bulgarians closed in On the town. This was in November. Sir Ralph Paget had great stores of provisions, clothing and hospital sup plies and when it became certain that Nish would fall he distributed these goods, placing them in charge of a Columbia University contingent, known as the Committee of Mercy. Dr. Travis, with the other members of the hospital staff, was urged to leave with the retreating Serbians, but believing they could accomplish more good by remaining in charge of the hospital, which was now full of wounded Serbians, they elected to stay. The night before the evacua- tion the Serbians blew up their mili- tary depots and all through the night terrific explosions shook the city and smashed nearly all the glass. Every window on one side of the hospital was broken. The next day the Bull garians marched in and took com plete possession. No one knew what would be the temper of the invaders and for a time fears were felt on this account, but King Ferdinands sol diers proved quiet and orderly. Their leaders were quartered in the house which had been pr. Travis home when she first came to Nish. It be-