The Serbian Relief Fund

---

As an ally, the military and civilian conditions in Serbia engendered concern in Britain. Help Serbia© IWM (Art.IWM PST 10932)

 

Sir Ralph Paget, British Minister to Serbia, was an organizing member of the Serbian Relief Fund, which provided much needed aid to Serbia during the Balkan Wars. When war broke out in July 1914, Sir Ralph and Lady Louise Margaret Paget mobilized to lend aid to the Serbian people. Lady Paget who, having nursed throughout the Balkan Wars was familiar with Serbia and its neighbors organized much of the field aid, inducing hospitals. As Lady Paget, four doctors, and twenty-four nurses were en route to Serbia, hospitals received the first cases of typhus in what proved to be a widespread outbreak. By mid November, when Lady Paget and her hospital arrived in Skoplje, Serbia, typhus had a strong hold on the population. At the height of the epidemic, as many as 2,500 deaths per day were reported in Serbia.  The Serbian Relief Fund focused their efforts on containing typhus within hospitals, and caring for the sick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Typhus                                                                                                                    American Red Cross