Medical care and health issues

Medical and dental facilities were for the most part inadequate, lacking in both equipment and staff. Doctors and nurses were overworked, and treatment was often substandard as well as delayed. Camp inmates recall outbreaks of food poisoning, tuberculosis and dysentery epidemics, and preventable deaths of patients and newborns.

World War II (215)
Concentration camps (1175)
Medical care and health issues (402)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Medical care in camp

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402 items

doc Letter from children of Kihichi Sakamoto to Project Director [Raymond R. Best], February 14, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-94)

Letter from three of his children, Tatsuo, Manabu, and Osamu Sakamoto, requests the release of their father, Kihichi Sakamoto, from the Army Stockade, for the sake of their mother's "health and mind" stating that she has been ill since their stay in Heart Mountain the previous year and has suffered a relapse upon her husband's imprisonment …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-94/

doc [Report on Tule Lake disorders] (ddr-csujad-2-64)

A report written from the Community Analysis Section at Camp Granada regarding transfers to Amache Camp from Tule Lake Camp. The report describes the protests at Tule Lake Camp which led to martial law from November, 1943-January 1944. Highlights of the report include protests against the low quality and quantity of food present at Tule Lake …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-64/

doc Memo from Co-ordinating Committee to R. [Raymond] R. Best, Project Director, Kiyotake, February 5, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-71)

Memo requesting for release of Abe. Describes the situation of Abe (Joe Kiyotake Abe), who had been in Army custody since the end of December, 1943, and whose wife was hospitalized, leaving their three children without parental care. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0071

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-71/

Memo from Jack C. Sleath, M. D., Chief Medical Officer, War Relocation Authority, to Willard E. Schmidt, Chief, Internal Security, May 5, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-101)

doc Memo from Jack C. Sleath, M. D., Chief Medical Officer, War Relocation Authority, to Willard E. Schmidt, Chief, Internal Security, May 5, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-101)

Memo regarding Ward X. Discusses need for determining who is responsible for people in custody in the ward, used for "drunkenness, mental illness and violations of the law on various offenses;" of particular concern is responsibility for people who are believed to be mentally ill. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-101/

doc [Japanese folklore about birth] (ddr-csujad-2-59)

Report on Japanese folklore and superstitions regarding the birth of a newborn. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0059

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-59/

doc Mr. and Mrs. Torazo Ouchi (ddr-csujad-8-60)

Oral history interview with Torazo and Hanako Ouchi. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Ouchi, Mr and Mrs Torazo

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-60/

img Four technicians and a blood-test patient in hospital laboratory at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-47)

Four technicians and a blood-test patient in hospital laboratory at Granada incarceration camp. December 12, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f12

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-47/

img Six-year-old Reiko Mastuda, convalescing from serious illness at Jerome incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-16)

Six-year-old Reiko Matsuda, convalescing from serious illness at Jerome incarceration camp, is looked after by nurse's aid Chiyo Okata. March 11, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_016

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-16/

img Obstetric at the camp hospital (ddr-csujad-26-128)

An obstetric nurse holds a baby. Verso reads, "Obstetric at the camp hospital." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_098

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-128/

University of California evacuation and resettlement study: The Gila River WRA relocation center, Rivers, Pinal County, Arizona (ddr-csujad-26-27)

doc University of California evacuation and resettlement study: The Gila River WRA relocation center, Rivers, Pinal County, Arizona (ddr-csujad-26-27)

Description of the Gila River incarceration camp during the first month of occupation, including camp location, climate, landscape, barracks, issues with camp construction, poor conditions and lack of furnishings, incarcerees who were subjected to upon arrival. Camp administration, food and housing issues, camp employment, security, recreation, and social groups are described and analyzed. Report compiled as …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-27/

img Hospital pharmacy (ddr-densho-15-87)

Mr. Izui (left) and a colleague inside the hospital pharmacy.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-87/

img Interior of the hospital laundry (ddr-densho-15-83)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-83/

doc Dr. Frank Nishio interview (ddr-csujad-6-26)

Oral history interview with Dr. Frank Nishio. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_NISHIO_FRANK

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-26/

doc Dr. Kikuo H. Taira (ddr-csujad-8-70)

Oral history interview with Dr. Kikuo H. Taira. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Taira, Dr Kikuo

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-70/

doc Michio and June Toshiyuki (ddr-csujad-8-77)

Oral history interview with Michio and June Toshiyuki. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Toshiyuki, Michio and June

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-77/

img Dentists of Rivers Community Hospital (ddr-csujad-11-196)

A photograph of the dentists at the Rivers Community Hospital at the Gila River incarceration camp in Arizona. Each of the dentists' names are provided as well as their hometowns. Standing, left to right: Dr. Obo Sakaguchi- Los Angeles, Dr. Kawamura- San Jose, Dr. Kiyoshi Sonoda- Los Angeles, Dr. C. Nishi- San Francisco, Dr. Masao Sugiyama- …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-196/

img Clinical demonstration (ddr-csujad-11-197)

A photograph documents a clinical demonstration by the dentists of the Rivers Community Hospital at the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. From page 78 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_78_002

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-197/

img School nurse administrating throat swabbing to grade school students at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-4)

School nurse administrating throat swabbing to grade school students at Granada incarceration camp. December 10, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_004

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-4/

img Former Californian Dr. Fugikawa examining a patient (ddr-csujad-14-14)

Former Californian Dr. Fugikawa examining a patient, S. Ego, with Jerome incarceration camp hospital's fluoroscope. March 11, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_014

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-14/

img Former California biochemistry student Tom Arase (ddr-csujad-14-15)

Former California biochemistry student Tom Arase performs gastro analysis in hospital laboratory at Jerome incarceration camp March 3, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_015

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-15/

doc Victim of the Japanese Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS) (ddr-csujad-26-31)

An affidavit written to invalidate purported distortions and false accusations made against the author in two books published using research material collected by Rosalie Hankey Wax during de Cristoforo's incarceration at Tule Lake. The books are "Doing Fieldwork: Warnings and Advice" by Rosalie H. Wax and "The Spoilage" by Dorothy Swaine Thomas and Richard S. Nishimoto …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-31/

img Interior of hospital laundry (ddr-densho-15-84)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-84/

img Camp nursery (ddr-densho-37-224)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-224/

img Dedication of camp hospital (ddr-densho-37-561)

Original WRA caption: Topaz, Utah. A young doctor of Japanese parentage, addresses the gathered crowd at dedication ceremonies for the new hospital at the Topaz Relocation Center.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-561/

img Camp hospital (ddr-densho-37-37)

Original WRA caption: High school students working part time as nurses' aides in the hospital and as orderlies.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-37/