CO129-592-2 Reports on current situation- medical work 3-3-1946 - 12-5-1947 — Page 125

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3.

more difficult, and it was necessary for the Committee's panel

of doctors to limit severely the quantities available for the

sick and young children. The situation was relieved to a small

extent with the arrival of the British Red Cross marcels and

supplies in November, 1942, and the Canadian parcels in September

1944. A certain proportion of valuable foods was set aside for

allocation by the medical panel, and, by very careful distribution,

was made to last until the Colony was relieved in August, 1945.

The functions of the Committee were outlined as follows:

(a) To enquire into the specific needs of individual internees

and to make these known, collectively, to the organisation in

HongKong.

(b) To distribute equitably on a selective basis the articles

received.

(c) To allocate, on a basis of medical necessity only, the

various foodstuffs received.

(d) To keep accurate records of the health and nutrition of

infants and young children and children up to the school

leaving age.

In relation to (c) it should perhaps be emphasized that the

function of the Committee was not to supply extra nourishment to

the Camp as a whole, though the Japanese rations were at all

times grossly inadequate, but to provide extra or alternative diets

for the infants, young children, the chronically and temporarily

sick, for all of whom the rations, besides being inadequate, were

entirely unsuitable.

I.

Nutritional.

Details of Distribution

A detailed report on the nutrition of the

Camp has been made by Dr. Dean A. Smith MO. in charge Nutrition

Clinic. A short description of the types of cases assisted may

be of some interest, however:

(a) For the first six months when supplies were relatively

plentiful a clinic was held daily and patients attended such

as those suffering from (1) deficiency diseases, i.e., beri-

beri, ulceration of mouth, scurvy and pellagra, (2) mal-