World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Women
To Miss Inglis, M.B., C.M., belongs the honour of originating the
Scottish Women’s Hospitals, one of the noblest efforts achieved by
women in the war. As a medical woman, Dr. Inglis, who qualified in
1892, has specialised in surgery, and for many years she has held
the posts of surgeon and gynæcologist to the Edinburgh Hospital and
Dispensary for Women and Children, and lecturer to the School of
Medicine in Edinburgh.
At the outbreak of war Dr. Inglis felt that the medical services of
women should be organised for the country, and she originated the idea
of forming the Scottish Women’s Hospital Units for war service, staffed
entirely by women. The idea was carried out through the organisation
of the Scottish Federation of Women Suffrage Societies. In the early
months the War Office, though since converted, refused to accept
women’s hospitals, so Dr. Inglis and her committee offered their
services to the Allies. Their record of work is truly wonderful, and
presents an outstanding example of women’s industry and administrative
ability. Hospitals have been established and maintained in France,
Serbia, Corsica, Salonika, Rumania, and Russia, and the work has been
entirely supported by the funds which the organisation has raised,
mainly through the branches of the National Union of Women Suffrage
Societies throughout Great Britain.
Dr. Inglis has been throughout the leading spirit, and has displayed
extraordinary initiative. After spending the first months of the war in
starting the work at headquarters, she went to Serbia in 1915 to act
as Commissioner to the Scottish Women’s Hospitals established there.
One unit on its way to Serbia was detained for a few weeks in Malta for
service with the British wounded at a moment of medical shortage, and
Lord Methuen, the Military Governor, wrote a glowing appreciation of
their work. “They leave here,” he wrote, “blessed by myself, surgeons,
nurses, and patients alike, having proved themselves most capable
and untiring workers.” In Serbia the Scottish women were confronted
with all the hardships and difficulties experienced by workers in
that unfortunate country. Undaunted, however, they established their
hospitals, heroically overcoming the problems of sanitation and
supplies which beset them on all sides. The hospital at Kragujevatz,
over which Dr. Inglis had personal charge, was described by the
military authorities as a picture of cleanliness, order, and comfort.
When the time of the Serbian retreat came, the five hospitals in charge
of the Scottish women fell back towards Albania. At Krushevatz Dr.
Inglis decided to remain with her staff to care for the Serbian wounded
during the enemy occupation. Another unit under Dr. Alice Hutchinson
also stayed, and was taken prisoner; while the remaining staffs
accompanied the retreating armies across the mountains.
[Illustration:
DR. ELSIE INGLIS
_Bassano_
_To face page 33_]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account