The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-11-04
DISEASE IN SIBERIA
is MENACING RACE
Americans Are Operating Eleven
Hospital centers, But More
Are Needed.

Returning to America after an alb.
sence of three months spent in a
study of postwar problems in Ser
bia, John A. Kingsbury, former COM
missioner of charities of New York.
says the plucky Serbs have made
wonerful strides in reclaiming land,
but that they are still in a woeful
condition. So serious is the general
state of health and sanitation, Mr..
Kingsbury states, that the govern
ment has created the pest OF minis.
ter of health.
Since the cessation Of six years OF
continuous hostilities, Serbia has
struction,55 said Mr. Kingsbury, who
went abroad in behalf Of the Serbian
! Child Welfare association OF West
Eighth street In the matter OF re-
building the ruined structure of Its
agricultural industry, Serbia has per-
! formed an almost miraculous feat.
With characteristic energy. the stur-
| dy Serbs have devoted their energies
to reclaiming the devastated soil, and
in slightly less than two years have
returned to an almost normal basis
as an agrarian people.
Cleared of the ruin OF battered i'm
/ plements of war and titled by the te-
dious method of OK drawn machinery,
the fertile fields of Serbia have reen
regenerated. Whole plains and roll
! ing valleys, so lately the scene OF dc.
struction, have ben transformed in
season TO waving wheat fields or are
yielding a fair crop of maize, barley
or oats, while small but constantly
growing herds Of cattle, imported
from neighboring States, may once
more be seen grazing. Ao
But while the thrifty peasant
farmer has been so occupied little
has been done to check the spread OF
disease, the scourge that always fol.
/ lows in the wake of war This has
been not so much because Of neglect,
but rather on account of the difficulty
of providing sanitary methods, medi-
cal attention, sc. Except for the
measures taken by outside agencies,
such as the American Red Cross and
our own Serbian Child Welfare AS.
sociation, the health of the country
has been but little repaired.
Native Serbian doctors were all
but extinct as a result of the long
drawn struggle and the great mass
Of humanity that survived has had to
such medical attention as they re-
ceived. Hospital supplies and sani-
tary equipment have been lacking to
a great extent because CT the neces-
sity of importing them, and a Gov
Iernment that had It's hands full try.
ing to re-establish itself in the other
details Of administration had Meth.
er the time nor the means to procure
these essentials of health. nit
"Thus the health OF the nation has
gradually sunk to low standard. On
" serious cases of illness and desti-
tuton &C uld be handled by those pri.
yate ORGANIZATIONS operating in Ser
bia, and the vitality of the nation,
necessarily neglected in the press OF
ether matters, reached an alarming
state
Food Is generally plentiful and
practically the entire population In
recent months has been we'll fed.
Yet. while this essential of life has
received attention, the matter OF
clothing has been overlooked. Rag.
ged garments are eagerly sought, and
even burlap bags are requisitioned
for service as wearing apparel.
"The main institute of the Serbian
Child Welfare association at Chachal1
sxty.nye miles south of Belgrade has
facilities for the accommodation OF
about $50 sick children, but ii has
been overcrowded ever since its In.
ceptiCn Our organization, thanks to
the funds contributed by Americans,
is now operating elyen such insti-
tutes in what is known as Old Ser
lbia"