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engineers, of whom Mr. E. Sims was senior, contributed many talents from among their seven members and it was remarkable how other abilities, unsuspected beforehand, came to be displayed by other staff. We were lucky in our staff not only because of their varied skills but also because of the spirit they showed and their willingness to tackle problems in fields new to them.
I considered that the removal of Simson and Shackleton was part of a Japanese plan to separate from bodies of prisoners those who had exercised command during hostilities and round whom men might rally against their captors. Most very senior officers were also removed from the P.O.W. camps. The only reason I was ever given for the changes was that the Japanese wanted to reduce our staff, which they considered to be too large.
When I come to enlarge upon my diaries, which are complete after 8 August 1942, it is evident that the period of captivity up to August 1945 divides itself naturally into four parts. First, there was the period of the Infections, including wound sepsis, dysentery, and diphtheria. Then came the period of Deficiency Diseases. This was followed by a period of Slow Decline, which lasted till about March 1945. Finally came a few months of Relative Stability, which covered the period from April 1945 up to the Japanese surrender in August. Each stage merged with that which followed, but the divisions are convenient for descriptive purposes. All were characterised by undernutrition.
THE PERIOD OF THE INFECTIONS
During the brief period, only 18 days of active hostilities, I had been much struck by the disabling injuries caused by enemy mortars and grenades. These disintegrated into small pieces, almost slivers of metal, which were sprayed in a shower when they exploded. In the patients who got back, these splinters caused many eye and peripheral nerve and blood vessel injuries. Clouds of them also seemed to penetrate the skin and fat, though not often deeply, and lodged there or in muscle. All these tiny wounds became infected, the soldier victim was put out of action, and his treatment added much to the burdens of our medical services.
Compound injuries of the bones and joints were always infected, and the difficulty of eradicating infection added greatly to our anxiety for the outcome in these patients against a background of undernourishment on unbalanced diets.
CAPTIVE SURGEON IN HONG KONG
171
engineers, of whom Mr. E, Sims was senior, contributed many talents from among their seven members and it was remarkable how other abilities, unsuspected beforehand came to be displayed by other staff. We were lucky in our staff not only because of their varied skills but also because of the spirit they showed and their willingness to tackle problems in fields new to them.
I considered that the removal of Simson and Shackleton was part of a Japanese plan to separate from bodies of prisoners those who had exercised command during hostilities and round whom men might rally against their captors. Most very senior officers were also removed from the P.O.W. camps. The only reason I was ever given for the changes was that the Japanese wanted to reduce our staff which they considered to be too large.
When I come to enlarge upon my diaries which are complete after 8 August 1942 it is evident that the period of captivity up to August 1945 divides itself naturally into four parts. First, there was the period of the Infections including wound sepsis, dysentery and diphtheria. Then came the period of Deficiency Diseases. This was followed by a period of Slow Decline which lasted till about March 1945. Finally came a few months of Relative Stability which covered the period from April 1945 up to the Japanese surrender in August. Each stage merged with that which followed, but the divisions are convenient for descriptive purposes. All were charac- terised by under nutrition.
THE PERIOD OF THE INFECTIONS
During the brief period, only 18 days of active hostilities, I had been much struck by the disabling injuries caused by enemy mor- tars and grenades. These disintegrated into small pieces, almost slivers of metal which were sprayed in a shower when they explod- ed. In the patients who got back, these splinters caused many eye and peripheral nerve and blood vessel injuries. Clouds of them also seemed to penetrate the skin and fat though not often deeply. and lodged there or in muscle. All these tiny wounds became infected, the soldier victim was put out of action and his treatment added much to the burdens of our medical services.
Compound injuries of the bones and joints were always infected and the difficulty of eradicating infection added greatly to our anxiety for the outcome in these patients against a background of undernourishment on unbalanced diets.
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