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Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

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._----_._-------REFORMATORY…

! u.Marriage ofI

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Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

r Dr. Mary Phillips Lectures at. Builth Wells t Dr Mary Phillips (Breconahire's distin- guished lady doctor) gave a lecture entitled My experiences in Serbia," to the members of the Social Club and others at the Foresters' Halll, Builth Wells, on Friday last. Mrs Bligh, Cilmery Park, who presided, introduced Dr Phillips as one of the pioneers of the women's movement. Dr Phillips, at the outset of her address, explained that when the war began she knew nothing about Serbia, not even how to pronounce its name. She went on to describe the journey to Serbia with a women's hospital unit of 50, accompanied by one man and a boy. The voyage began at Cardiff. At Malta they were able to attend to some of our soldiers, including men of the glorious 29th and Anzacs. An interesting "event here was the catching of a wireless from Germany to America in German, which they were afraid no one could read, hut which was at last interpreted, and conveyed the sad news of the first terrible gas attack by the enemy. After a description of the journey through Bulgaria and of Salonica, and a 'humorous account of a futile endeavour of the inhabi- tants to "fleece" her company (a Scotch unit), Dr Phillips told of the weary waiting in the railway stations and trains. On one occasion they had been told they were to have a complimentary dinner at a certain town at seven o'clock. The train arrived at its destination at eleven o'clock, but even at this belated hour a delightful dinner awaited them as their welcome to Serbia. Dr Phillips described the Serbians as people of remarkably fine physique, and their uniform as one of the finest in the world. Around Nisb much tobacco was grown, and rows of maize with rows of pumpkins in between were often seen. The flora of this district was most beautiful. They were shown a group of 200 graves of soldiers killed by a raid made by Bulgarians Jong before they entered the war. She considered Nish a very ugly town, and i:s streets deplorable. The arrival of a traction engine there caused immense excitement. She next described a Serbian hospital with its Greek and Russian women doctors, the sight of a number of Albanian recruits being brought in, and her attendance at a crowded church at a service in honour of our king's birthday. In this church there were no chairs, all stood, the Government were in the front row, and conversation went on among the congregation while the service was pro- ceeding. From this place the unit received a hasty summons to a typhus hospital. All the company were Boatlerud at the time, and sconting parties were seut out to gather them together bat at thersilway station, when they were ou the poipt of starting, they found two nursea were naming and she (Dr Phillips) had to stay tehind to look after them, as they knew no language bat Eagliah. An interesting account of the joorpey the next day in a troop train followed. On this train, fall of troops, mtiti were sitting (10 the roof with umbrellas to protect themselves frow the burning son. At tbe stopping places people were very kind and brought water, toe which Ltio troops were extremely grateful, but whiob tbe aieaioal women were afraid to accept. The typbua hospital consisted of tents placed on a suitable site, and containing beds for 200 aad a staff of 60, witb Serbian soiaierB and convicts to help tt-etli. The hospital warda were staffed wi'.h Austrian prisoners trjt i'e wetr 42 orderlies, and th-ir service w*s quite jjood. Kerosene of which there JB waa a large quantity, wero used for every domestic porpORe-to oatry milk iu, to bold water for sotubtyng floors, &o. Tbe leoturer spoke ia eulogistic terms of the Serbian people, of their kuowitdae of tbe Otitic türoperament, and bow they seemed to appreciate the Celts more than, tbe Ac^Io-Saxons. Serbia wae a | little country of intense Opatitiatipai it bad kept it* language, Church, and ideals. The lauguage difficulty was a very real one throughout their travels it was possible to fiod 15 different laDgasgeH spoken at a dinner tnhle. With a few words, however, they managed to net on wonderfully with the patients. It waB a dreadfal time. The typhus diss-ftbo bd spisaj until nearly every house had tbe black flasj;, Another difficulty was the obtaining of supplies. There was only one railway iine to Nisb, and all supplies of gone, food, &c, were bronght up on a little light railway and ee?.t on in bollock oatta. Their nnit Lai gone out very Saely fquipped, bat ROOD I.bfrt) was great teed of frt-^h Hupplies. No fiGi>ar was to be hai the re, and whitt was worse, 00 salt. Auioogst the people everyone waR a peanaut proprietor owniog a bouse aod orchard, hot very little agriculture was going on. Much scurvy was prevalent, acd when she asked why they di-A not cultivate the land and produce fre-ii vegetables she received the j grave rep'y, 11 Yon forget we have been I). "af three veate." Every ptibliq building was turued into a hospital, and each bed bad three patients, but iu spite of tbe lack of vegetables they roaijaged, with sorrel and dandelions and tbo drog they had, to cure the scurvy. Ie J cocclui<ior Dr Phillips gave a harrowing des- cription of the woode-ful trek of tbe Serbian I)eoplt" and of the 30 000 schoolboy*, thy pride and hope of the Serbian nAlien, who, during (heir terrible seven wp^ks' marcb to the sea, dwindled down to 15 000, dying on the way of typooid and starvation. Mrs Bligh. in proposing r vote of thank* to tbe lecturer, remarked that all Dr Phillips's sympathies tbroOfihoot the lecture had. teen < with the suffering Serbians, she keepiuK oat of 3 the picture I;d b hardships she herself bad endured. tj Mrs Rem Tborms, in seconding, remarked bow rrDfd they in Builth were of tbe lecturer an » Brt-oot shire woman, AJi Urecoosbirn must be very proad of its diptingaished daughter, wbo bad sacriiiaed much to aiisvi&te tbe nufferiegs of others.

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