Statement of Hirao (13 July 1946). During the War, there was an acute shortage of plasma and experiments were carried on by Ishiyama, assisted by Torisu to extract a drug from sea water to supplant plasma, known as "blood sub." Drs. Senba and,Kubo also worked with Ishiyama on his experiments. |
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Statement of Hirao (28 Aug-Sept 47). On 17 May 1945, a Thursday 1400 Clinical lecture class was called off so that the operations could be held. Hirao was told about noon by Ishiyama that there would be some operations conducted on captured B29 crew members at the Autopsy Section, that he should prepare for them and to inform Kubo, Mori, Senba, Nogawa and Tashiro, that Nogawa and Tashiro should prepare the heavier instruments, such as 1 amp and tables at the Autopsy Room for the operations. Near the operating table were; Ishiyama who performed the operation, stood to the right of the flyer’s chest, Miki handed him instruments. Across was Komori, Hirao to his left, Mori to Hirao's left, Torisu on the left of Ishiyama, Senba, Tashiro and Nogawa near the Prisoner’s head, one of them taking his pulse. Sato was a little behind Torisu. Tsutsui stood near the instrument table, supervised Miki, Kubo was also in the room. About 22 May when the second operations was performed, Mori, Senba, Kubo and perhaps Tashiro and Nogawa and Hirao went behind the Section to await the Prisoners. On 25 May, Hirao attended the third series. After lunch, Ishiyama told Hirao that a brain operation was to be performed on one Prisoner, that he was to assemble the operating instrumonets in the nurses changing room to tell the others. At 1330 Hirao went to the Autopsy Room(training rm) where Mori, Tashiro, Kubo, Senba and Hirao prepared a dissecting table, placed at the far end of the room parallel with the length and slightly to the right of the middle. 2 June, about 1300 Ishiyama told Hirao to prepare for operations on Prisoners on the breast and abdomen, that since Torisu would not be able to come and Mori had left, he should tell Morimoto to assist. Hirao instructed Senba, Tashiro, Morimoto and Kubo, each carrying some of the instruments, accompanied by Ishiyama. Senba was leaking the Prisoner's blood pressure and preparing to inject the sea water substitute. Ishiyama instructed Hirao to continue in this way, and he and Komori loft to go to the other operation. Senba had placed another table to the left of the Prisoner's shoulder and on this table he rested the Prisoner's arm, taking the blood pressure and occasionally making injection. Hirao thinks he made written notes on this experiment. Hirao believes Kubo stood near Senba and took the notes or held the irrigator containing the sea water. At this time, 3 or 4 persons from the Autopsy Room came including Tanaka, and watched Senba, Kubo and Hirao. Statement of Hirao cont'd.... In late March 1946, Hirao applied to resign and a little later heard that the Army had reported that the Prisoners who were killed at the University had been killed by the Hiroshima bomb. Hirao left in late April, seldom returned, did hear that Torisu, Senba and Kubo were investigated by the CIC and Ishiyama was called in by the CIC as to his sea water experiments. |
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Statement of Senba (2 Sept-10 Sept 47). Kubo used the sea water experiments on about 10 patients between April and May 1945. However 2 patients developed chills or fever, 1/2 showed protein in the urine. Kubo used ‘100-200 cc's on a patient. At 1300 on 17 May, Torisu told Senba to take some sea water to the autopsy room; Senba prepared to take 2000 ccs and equipment to inject it. At 1500 Senba saw Miki, Suyama and Manabe taking a cart loaded with operating equipment and lamps toward the Autopsy Room. Senba passed them on the way; Nogawa and Tar there. Hirao and Torisu arrived 10 minutes later, and with Senba and possibly Nogawa walked out cf the building with Sha and Kubo waiting cut there. 30 Minutes later about 1600, a truck arrived'with 2 Prisoners lying in the back of the truck, talking to each ot her in English, with about 4 Japanese soldiers. A staff car arrived with Sato, Komori, and one other Officer. The Prisoners were taken off, handcuffed and blindfolded, and went under,own power thru side entrance to Autopsy Room, Believes both had blonde hair. The Doctors went in: Ishiyama was scrubbing, putting on his gown, told Komori to take the 2 Prisoners to the Dressing-room and administer ether, which was done, with Senba, Komori, Hirao, Tashiro, Nogawa, Suyama and 2 guards with them. One Officer acted as English interpreter. During this operation Hirao wiped blood, retracted the incision, Torisu helped tie off the blood vessels and helped retract the incision,,Komori administered the anesthetic,'Senba administered seawater prior to the operation, Miki passed the instruments, Tashiro, Nogawa, Kubo, Sha and Sato stitched. Senba believes that only Sha and Kubo left before the operation was finished. In April 1946, Ishiyama, Torisu, Kubo and Senba were ordered to report to the CIC, Senba didn’t report until 24-5 April, since ill. Senba was released without questioning. In May 1946, Senba returned to his house in Shikoku and his father asked him if he had participated in any operations on Prisoners, he replied he had injected seawater. 2 weeks later he returned to KIU, was apprehended on 13 July. |
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Statement of Mori (3 Sept-Sept 47). American Prisoners were operated on at the University before Lori left on 26 May. About 1700 on 17 May, Mori was in his room when Hirao came in, said that Ishiyama wanted him to assist on a lung operation on a Prisoner that P.M., in the Anatopsy Room. After setting up the operating table and preparing the room, Mori went to rear entrance of building and stood waiting for the Prisoners to arrive. Hirao, Kubo and several junior assistants and Mori waited together. |
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Statement of Tashiro (9-24 Oct 47). On a May vening the Fir t Surgical Clinic had a sake party, which included Ishiyama, Torisu, Mori, Kirao, and possibly Statement of Tashiro fronts.... Morimoto as the ranking doctors and Rashiro, Nogawa, Hirao, Semba and possibly Kubo and Tomoki Tashiro as the younger doctors, at the mess hall at the University. They had such parties on several different occasions. Most of them were a little drunk. While Tashiro was some distance away from the head of the table, he heard either Ishiyama or Torisu say that ther were to be some operations soon, that someone would bring the patients to the University, believes that they were said to be pilots. Before this there was a great deal of noise, but it then became quiet and serious. Several days after the party, someone in First Surgery (maybe Kubo) told Tashiro there was to be an operation on a Prisoner that day. Tashiro went because he was curious, thought they might be experience, followed others to the room. Kubo might have been there, might have given him direction, he’s not certain. Tashiro met Nogawa down the hall, who told him he couldn't come in, so he became angry, left and went to the back of the Autopsy Room where he saw Nogawa, Kubo, Hirao, Torisu, Tomoki Tashiro and possibly 1 or 2 others, talking in the yard. The time in which 2 Prisoners were brought, they were placed in a small room near the Autopsy Training Room, and either Kubo or Tomoki Tashiro injected anesthetic in them. Present at the operation were: Ishiyama, Torisu, Hirao, Morimoto, Nogawa, Tomoki Tashiro, Semba, Kubo, Mori, Mild., Guyama, Tsutsui and Tashiro believes Manabe...... (others)..... After a meeting of the First Surgey Doctors, Torisu announced for Ishiyama and said that Ishiyama had said he would be responsible for the operations. Tashiro heard these hings from either*Semba or Kubo. |
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Statement of Hirao (20 Oct 47). Senba made a 1/2 slit in the artery, inserted the glass tube, tied a string around the artery over the tube, released the clamp, allowed 100 cc of blood to drain. Before and during this time Kubo took the blood pressure and pulse count. Hirao believes Tashiro prepared the container of seawater blood substitute while the 100 cc drained. Senba then went to the left arm of the flyer,would inject the blood substitute as Hirao would drain 50 ccs from the leg at a time. Kubo continued to take the blood pressure and count, and he or Senba took written notes on the pressure and pulse. |
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Statement of Semba (31 Oct-8 Nov 47). Around 10 May there was a farewell party for someone in the Doctors Mess Hall at First Surgey after work in the afternoon. Everyone then got drunk, and the party broke up about 2130. Present at the party were Hirao, Mori,Tashiro,Jiro;Tashiro and Nogawa. Torisu and Kubo may have been there. At the party Ishiyama leaned forward and said,"Komori is going to bring several Prisoners to the University and I am thinking of performing experimental operations on them." While he said this to the higher ranking doctors, it carried so that everyone became quiet for a minute or so. |