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[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

TI: Describe the health care sort of facilities and the personnel at Puyallup.

SA: Well, Puyallup (had) a makeshift (hospital). We had about four doctors (on a 24 hour cell), Japanese Americans (and the) Japanese Issei (and Nisei) doctors. Drs. Suzuki, (Koike), Akamatsu (and Shigaya). And then we had the two American doctors, (Dr.) Thorburn McGowan (from the USPHS) and the other one was from Pierce County, (Dr. Magnusson). Anyway, but in camp, it was the Japanese doctors that took care of us. (One medical student, George Sawada), was so (thoughtful) because he carried me (outside on a sunny, hot, hot day) because it was summertime, to get some fresh air, and I thought that was so kind. He died (later) in the war, which was sad because he was going to become a medical doctor. I don't know how much time he had put in at the University (of Washington), but he wrote a tremendous (letter) to his dad when he was in the army, (which said he was looking forward to becoming a doctor, and optimistically looked to the future).

TI: I think I read that letter.

SA: It was really touching. He (was) a wonderful (fellow) and he was engaged to a beautiful girl, I don't know what happened to her either.

TI: So let's go back to the medical facility. So there were four...

SA: Yeah, (there were four doctors, and it was a) temporary (hospital barrack), as you know (...). So I think there was an IV going (on) Suma (who had a severe asthma attack. As) for the mental patient, they did have side rails (up), thank goodness, but we couldn't sleep because she was making all these (loud, horrible) noises. And we were afraid (she might climb over the bed rails), we didn't know what she would do (to us). (We) didn't get to (move) to the other units, though.

TI: And generally, what were people in the, sort of, facilities for? What were some of the illnesses?

SA: Well, I'm sure it would probably (...) be injuries (or infectious diseases). But I'm sure there were deliveries, 'cause there was a baby born (in Puyallup. May 18, "First baby born in camp to Mrs. Amelia Kita," in Puyallup news). So we would have OB, and I suppose we would have isolation (and) the usual. But I don't know how much surgery was being done. I know later, in Minidoka, (...) I saw my first autopsy there. And again, I saw deliveries. And I did see the one unit where we had some small surgicals (procedures like the) TURs. But you have to remember, this (was) 1942, and we didn't have (oral) penicillin (then, and the antibiotics were) brand new, (just in vials), in Rochester, (MN). But it wasn't available to (many) of us, we were (relying) heavily on sulfa (drugs). So I don't know as far as medicine how much they got, but there certainly wasn't very much. And I know that when they passed out (oral medicine in Minidoka), it was on trays. And if anything shifted, you know, we have the rooms (mixed up), I keep thinking it would have been a terrible thing to get somebody else's medication because it's sliding around on the trays (...). But we did have (medication RNs and) I'm sure there (were) some Caucasian nurses. (I saw two of them in the hospitals when I worked as a nurse's aide, later in 1943, prior to leaving for nursing school.)

TI: So how long were you in Puyallup, in those medical facilities?

SA: Oh, I wasn't there too long, I think maybe about two weeks until I was better (though not completely cured). I had my relatives, (...) my cousins in Area D (for visitors), and so that helped, but my mother couldn't come over and visit me (from Area B). Because she, only the patient can go. So they had taken me across the street with armed guard, of course, and that's the way I was returned, with an armed guard back to Area B, which I thought was interesting.

TI: So that seems a little harsh to not let your mother visit you for those two weeks.

SA: Yes, but then, you know, I was there for a stay (and there was no reason to stay for her), so there was no point in her coming out when you come down to it. But it was all right, I wasn't in any mood to have anybody sitting there, either. It was kind of tough (to be fifteen years old, not to be physically well, and with no immediate family around, though).

TI: So when you returned back to Area B, did you notice any changes in those two weeks?

SA: No, actually not. I mean, it was kind of, like I said, temporary, we just had the (mess hall, where the food was no better,) sewage was a problem there, (so the hospital stay in Area D was better).

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.