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| Student operating on a dummy patient, 2015 |
As the COVID-19 situation worsens in Singapore, our medical services have been stepped up. While pushed beyond our limit yet, I thank for our frontline medical staff of today, and take this opportunity to remind of our medical situation of our past.
With the almost daily bombing of Singapore starting from December 1941, the medical services of Singapore were stretched to the limit. This was actually made worse as refugees fleeing Malaya flooded Singapore, doubling the population to more than a million. Unable to treat all the wounded and feed all the people, Governor Shenton Thomas reported "pestilence" in Singapore.
To support the health crisis in Singapore, Medical Auxillary Services (MAS) set up first-aid posts around the country. Usually consisting of volunteers from the St John Association and Brigade, about two hundred medical students joined the MAS as the Japanese approached Singapore.
Medical education was also disrupted. The last students graduated in January 1942 instead of March 1942.
From 15 Feburary onwards, the Japanese were in-charge. The hospitals were commandeered by the new occupiers and medical supplies were redirected to the Japanese.
Singapore General Hospital (SGH) became the main surgical centre of the Imperial Army and Navy.
Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH) was renamed Chuo Byoin and became the main civilian hospital. Dr Benjamin Sheares, the second President of Singapore, would serve as deputy medical superintendent there.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTS) would serve as a military hospital for a year, but was converted for civilian use and was renamed Hakuai Byoin.
The Institute of Mental Health was renamed Miyako Byoin and served civilian needs.
Alexandra Hospital (the then British Military Hospital) was repurposed for military purposes after the massacre of the British medical staff and patients.
Civilian doctors who operated during the Occupation reported of lack of medicine resulting in high mortality rates. One doctor reported mortality rates of patients of typhoid fever to be as high as 40%. (note that in pre-antibiotic America, the mortality rate for such patients is about 9 - 13%). The same doctor also reported to having coming up with anti-diphtheria medication using goats and his pre-war bacterial cultures.
Other diseases that were rampant were malaria, malnutrition, famine oedema and tropical ulcers.
Be grateful that we live in modern Singapore and not during the Occupation.
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