The Flaming Sword in Serbia and ElsewhereStobart, M. A. (Mabel Annie)
History
The Flaming Sword in Serbia and Elsewhere
Stobart, M. A. (Mabel Annie)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
On August 27th the site for the sixth dispensary was chosen at
Rekovatz. As usual on these occasions we had our first breakfast at
four o'clock, and started at 5 a.m. with Drs. Guentchitch, Popovitch,
and Protitch. We arrived at nine o'clock, after only one breakdown,
and breakfasted at the inn. The Prefect sat with us, and told us that
the only doctor in the district had died last winter of typhus, and
that medical aid was much needed. We were taken to the late doctor's
house, which was well placed in a garden with fine trees and lawns.
His widow was still in residence, and warmly seconded the idea that we
should establish ourselves in our tents in her garden, and make use of
the dispensary rooms at the gate, in the cottage which had served as
dispensary for her husband. She offered us in addition the use of her
outside kitchen, and later, when the lawn became swamped after much
rain, she gave hospitality in her house to the doctor and the nurses.
A clever and delightful woman, and she spoke excellent French. She had
been left without income, and was now employed at the post office as
interpreter at censor work. She was enthusiastically patriotic, but
when the Germans came she had no choice but to remain as a prisoner in
her own land. I have heard that Rekovatz was treated ruthlessly, and I
have often wondered what the fate of Madame has been.
Patients did not wait for us to set up shop, but already that day came
clamouring to the inn for treatment.
We were back in camp by 5 p.m. after paying a visit to Lapovo
Dispensary on the way home. Here, with Dr. Cockburn, arrangements
were discussed with Colonel Guentchitch for building wooden sheds
for kitchen and for wash-houses, etc., in readiness for extension of
dispensary into hospital should hostilities be renewed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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