KUBO, TOSHIYUKI [Marginal Note: (KIU) ] Statement of Kubo (8 October 1947) 27, graduated KIU Medical College in 1942, as assigned to first Surgery, then went to Koga Hospital until 1944, returned to 1st Surgery in August 1944, remained until March 1946 when he resigned to practice at Teishin Hospital in Fukuoka; Specializes in surgery. Kubo graduated from the attached medical college and not the regular one. Kubo performed operations such as appendectomies and hernias at the time of experimental operations. Torisu and Semba were his immediate superiors, usually attended operations at which Ishiyama operated on gall stone, stomach ulcer and stomach cancer and other types. 2-3 days before Kubo attended an operation on a PW, he heard there was to be an operation on an American flyer from soneone in 1st Surgery. About 1330-1400 on the day of the operations, he was asked to help others carry instruments by people pushing a cart with a sheet over it. He helped push, felt they were for the PW operation. Another group from 1st Surgery were going out of the building with some sort of equipment. It was unusual. Kubo believes Sha was in this 2nd group, possibly Tomoki Tashiro, then states that he believes that he did not see Tashiro (Tomoki) until he got in the building. They entered through the front door of the Autopsy Building, went down the hall the whole length of the building. Ishiyama, Torisu, Hirao, Semba, and others were there. Kubo helped carry in the instruments. 2 Prisoners were brought in with Komori, a Japanese Officer, and soldiers. A soldier was talking English to the Prisoners. The Prisoners appeared groggy, as if drugged. The Prisoners were blindfolded, it appeared that their hands were tied, they were about 6 feet, of average build. One of the Prisoners had a wound on the shoulder; it looked as though it were partially healed; there were several small black spots which might have been made by small shot, covering an area of about the size of a palm, and were on one side, some around the nipple. The 2 tables were placed lengthwise, the Prisoners* heads facing the windows. One table was closer to the end of the room; here the lung operation was performed. The tables were in the opposite end of the room from the door. There was an operating lamp, and he believes an aspirator was present, but he did not see it used. Miki and Tsutsui were present, is not sure as to Manabe. Nogawa stood near the head of the Prisoner with the shoulder wound (lung operation). Tomoki Tashiro was present watching the lung operation. Kubo held the operating lamp part of the time - for about 10 minutes when the meat was being cut from the ribs, someone saying "Will you hold the lamp? I have to go someplace." The Prisoner was partially covered with a sheet. Kubo stood on a stool in back of Ishiyama, and held the lamp over his shoulder, he being on the right side. Torisu was on the left side, Miki was on Ishiyama's right passing him instruments. Ishiyama made a semicircular incision around the area of the KUBO -2- Statement of Kubo, (8 October 1947 Cont'd.) ..... wounds, Torisu used retractors to hold the flesh apart, also soaked up the blood with gauze. Ishiyama then separated the meat from the ribs and 2 unknown doctors helped spread the incision. Kubo then left because he wasn't feeling well, felt as if he would vomit, knowing these were’Americans, and it was something new to have an operation in the Anatomy Dissection Room, not a proper place for an operation; he knew something was wrong. An army Officer watched the operation. Komori and another doctor operated on the 2nd Prisoner at the same time. Probably Hirao helped Komori. Kubo later heard the 2 Prisoners died. Someone told him not to talk about the operations about one month after the operations, believes it was Komori. Before the operations were performed, he heard rumors they were to be experimental at 1st Surgery. Kubo was only present at this 1st series. Kubo had done some work on sea water experiments, had gone to Kaikosha Hospital where he met Komori in April. The Japanese NCO who brought the Prisoners in spoke English. Some one said that the name of the officer who was present was Lt. Col. Sato. Kubo doesn't believe Jiro Tashiro and Morimoto were present, believes Hirako was present. The Prisoners were big, had white skin; Kubo heard they were B-29 flyers. |