The Washington herald., 1919-05-04
AMERICAN WOMEN
DARE DEATH AIDING
STRICKEN IN BALKANS

Monastir, Serbia--The work and in
huence Of the American woman in the
war has formed the subject of praise
and tribute from a thousand pens.
But there is a small band Of Ameri-
can woman physicians now fighting
disease and destitution in the Balkan
states, about whose work little has
been said. These doctors are MEM
bers of the American woman's Hos
pital at New York. and have been as
sisting the American Red Cross in its
humanitarian work in Serbia, Monte
negro, Albania and Greece. They have
come from all parts Of the United
States, and in their work in various
European countries have come in
contact with every form of contagion
and every degree Of misery
Never Reached Greece.
The story Of the achievements of one
Of these doctors is typical Of the work
of all the rest. At the first call OF
help from Greece. Regina Flood
practice in Buffalo, n. Y. packed her
surgical instruments and came to
yodena, near the Greek-Serbian 'front.'
Ter. where she set up a hospital. She
was given a handful of medical sup
plies intended for Syria The ship
which was to supply her hospital new
er reached Greece. It fell a victim
TO a German submarine. With the
crinpled condition of transport through
Serbia II was impossible for the Amer
lean Red Cross to get her the neces-
sar,y equipment She had no operating
table. no steriliZers, no beds. no
stoves, no nothing except her small
kit of surgical instruments. a few
mounds of medicines-and unbounded
American confidence and determine
ton.
Despairing not the slightest over
her utter lack Of equipment she set
about and with the assistance of
local carpenter had an operating
table built out of the old dry-goods
cases. She borrowed some iron beds
from an abandoned military hospital.
Old gasoline cans were made into
stoves, stovepipes. dishes, kettles,
sterilizers and everything needed to
aid in an emergency.
ana with the aid of DR.. Mabel Flood
Of Elnira. N. Y. and two American
nurses, DR.. Keyes opened the first
American hospital in Northern
Greece. She had no American flag
with which TO Identify the hospital.
80 she made one of material supplied
by local peasants.
Major Operations.
DR.. Flood performed all kinds of
major operations, including the re-
uioyal OF the appendix of the Serbian
pope. Her patients consisted OF
Greeks, Serbs. Dalmatians, Italians,
Bohemians and Frenchmen- Her in
struments she sterihZed in an empty
tomato can. In the first year of her
work she treated over 2,o00 patients.
Many Of the cases were brought to
her in ox-carts, in wheelbarrows and
on donkeys. Her surgical skill be-
came so widely known that the
French, British and Serbian doctors
referred all their operative cases to
her.
When the French and Serbians be-
gan their memorable attack on the
Buixarians. which eliminated In the
collapse Of Bulgaria, DR.. Keyes was
asked by the French army authorities
to accompany their troops as regi-
mental surgeon The plucky American
physician served throughout the at
tack. treating hundreds Of wounded
ondcers and soldiers. Her work drew
forth the warmest expressions OF
praise and thanks from the French
and Serbian commands.
DR.. Keyes Is now stationed at Mon
astir. Serbia. and Is lending effective
aid to the American Red Cross In car
ing for the sick and wounded soldiers
who are returning to their homes from
Austria and Germany.