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thiamin chloride was of particular importance in view of the percentage of beri-beri producing rations issued to the internment camps and to the very rapid increase in vitamin B deficiency amongst the general population.
As a matter of interest, it was found that ampoules of vitamin B prepared by a reputable local Chinese firm of manufacturing chemists during the occupation, only contained 6 milligrammes instead of 10 milligrammes per cubic centimetre.
Valuable work was, also, carried out by the senior Chinese member of the Government Chemists' staff (under a very able research chemist appointed by the Japanese). The details of their work must necessarily remain con- fidential. Suffice to say, both the officer concerned (David Louie) and his wife who had been in the Government Nursing Service were arrested by the Gendarmerie, and later, were executed.
Owing to the prompt action taken by the research chemist referred to above to prevent looting, both chemical laboratories were handed over practically complete when the Medical Department resumed control once more in August, 1945.
(a) HOSPITALS
H. Hospitals, Outpatients' Departments
Almost immediately after their entry into Kowloon, the Japanese took over the Kowloon Hospital and the Central British School Hospital, both of which contained those wounded by air and land attack and by looters who became active soon after the evacuation of Kowloon by the Police Force on the 11th December, 1941. The majority of the patients from these hospitals still requiring in-patient treatment were moved to the Kwong Wah Hospital. Kowloon Hospital served as a Japanese Military Hospital throughout the occupation, but in September, 1945, the 800 sick and wounded Japanese troops (mostly from Canton and Southern Kwang Tung) were transferred to La Salle College Hospital. St. Theresa's Hospital was also taken over by the Japanese in December, 1941, but was used as a military hospital for British troops for a few months in 1942-1943. In 1944 the hospital was taken over for Japanese patients, mostly suffering from venereal disease. Finally, in August, 1945, it reverted to the use of British (Indian) sick pending their evacuation by hospital ship to India. The Central British School Hospital was utilised for Japanese troops until the late Spring of 1945, when it was handed over to the Royal Army Medical Corps in place of Bowen Road Military Hospital on Hong Kong Island, which remained closed until the reoccupation of Hong Kong. After the arrival of the British Forces, the Central British School Hospital became the main Royal Air Force Field Hospital. La Salle College Hospital which had been used as a reserve hospital at the outbreak of war was taken over by the Japanese towards the end of January, 1942. The European staff were interned in Stanley Civilian Internment Camp. Apart from a few beds in the Precious Blood Hospital, the Kwong Wah Hospital with 200 to 300 beds was the only general hospital available for all sections of the community on the Kowloon Peninsula.
The Medical Superintendent and his staff laboured under exceptional difficulties as regards food and medical supplies, and the attitude of the Japanese was generally unfavourable. By exemplary courage, the Super- intendent and his Matron kept the staff of the hospital together and the hospital rendered invaluable service throughout the occupation.
Lai Chi Kok Infectious Diseases Hospital was captured by the Japanese forces at 10 a.m. on the 11th December, 1941. The patients were evacuated to the Kwong Wah Hospital on the 13th December, 1941, and the hospital was not reopened again for the reception of cases of infectious disease until
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the 5th February, 1942. The hospital narrowly escaped destruction on the 2nd September, 1943, when Allied aircraft successfully bombed and set on fire the oil reservoirs of the Standard Oil Company. On Hong Kong Island the Japanese took over the Queen Mary Hospital a month after the surrender. During hostilities, some four hundred naval and military, and rather more than twice that number of civilian, casualties were attended by the surgical unit in this hospital. Many of these patients were on extensions and fracture boards when the Japanese ordered the writer to evacuate the hospital. The removal was carried out (after ineffectual protests) to the Royal Naval Hospital, Bowen Road Military Hospital, University and St. Stephen's Relief Hospitals and to the Tung Wah Hospital.
The Queen Mary Hospital became an institution for Japanese wounded. It was finally evacuated by the invading forces early in September, 1945. For some time prior to this, the hospital had been used largely as a barracks. The condition in which it was left beggared description. Much of the hospital equipment had been removed or destroyed and, amongst other missing items, not one sheet was to be found. After a skeleton staff of doctors and sisters transferred from Stanley Camp had worked hard for a period of four weeks, it was possible to reopen one floor (about 200 beds) of the hospital on the Ist October, 1945.
The Japanese Naval Forces took over the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital from the British Military Authorities shortly after the surrender and Indian sick and wounded troops were moved to St. Albert's Military Hospital and, later, to Bowen Road Military Hospital. The Tung Wah Eastern Hospital was used chiefly for Japanese patients suffering from venereal diseases. After the transfer of Japanese to the Kowloon Peninsula, the hospital was cleared and re-equipped and opened by His Excellency Admiral Cecil Harcourt, Commander-in-Chief of the British Relief Forces, on the 1st October, 1945.
During January, February and March, 1942, the Matilda, War Memorial, University, St. Stephen's and Sai Ying Pun Hospitals were evacuated. In April, 1942, the writer obtained permission for the Sai Ying Pun Hospital to be reopened for patients since the Tung Wah, Nethersole, St. Paul's and St. Francis Hospitals proved inadequate to meet the needs of the population on the Island. Later the Sai Ying Pun (General) and the Tsan Yuk (Maternity) Hospitals were closed by the Japanese, allegedly owing to lack of funds available to the Japanese Medical Department. Both hospitals were reopened within four days after the collapse of the Japanese resistance in August, 1945. The Mental Hospital remained open throughout the occupation, although the rations made available by the Japanese ensured that the majority of the patients would die of malnutrition within a short time of admission.
The Infectious Diseases Hospital at Kennedy Town was maintained until 1944 when it was replaced by a group of private residences at Pokfulam. The whole of the hospital buildings and much of the Lepers Settlement adjoining became ruinous and the former was eventually razed to the ground. Apart from the hospitals referred to in the foregoing paragraphs, small camp hospitals were established in the Shamshuipo, Argyle and Ma Tau Chung Military Internment Camps, and in Stanley Civilian Internment Camp (Tweed Bay Hospital). Details relating to the work done at Tweed Bay Hospital are included in the appendix to this report.
(b) ALMONER'S Department
In describing conditions in the hospital service from 1942-1945, mention should be made of the Almoner's Department. Owing to the occupation of the main Government civil hospitals and to the internment of the Almoner, the major part of the Almoner's staff went to Free China.