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Statement of Nogawa (taken 2-25 June 1947) 29, now a doctor at 1st Surgery Clinic. Graduated KIU Medical College 1944, at which time he began work at Ishiyama Surgical Clinic, where he has worked ever since. Was absent from KIU from 7-8 June to 20 June 1945 (married 10 June) and absent every year for about 5 days around 28 May, since that is the day his father died and he must then return home. 2-3 days before the first operation—in the latter part of April or first of May, Torisu went to the Autopsy Section about 1300. After 4 days later he told Nogawa that he had gone to the Autopsy Section Class Rooms to look at the Autopsy tables to see if they were too small to use for operations. At about 1400 on the day of the operation Tsutsui told him, "It seems that there is going to be an operation on a PW in the Autopsy Class Room. I Have been told to prepare the operating instruments." Nogawa answered, "Is that so?" Nogawa thought it odd, went by himself to the Autopsy Section about 1500, where there were present Ishiyama, Komori, and Sato, standing near the rear wall on the left side of the room, and nearer to the hall and also on the left side of the room were Hirao, Torisu, Senba, and head nurse Tsutsui. Miki was arranging the instruments on the instrument table. There were two dissecting tables set up—the far one was parallel with the length of the room; the near one was crosswise to and touching the far one and extended to the left of the far one. Shortly after Nogawa entered, 2 soldiers brought in a white person—Nogawa assumed he was a PW—he had a bandaged right shoulder and was supported by the 2 soldiers. He appeared to have been injected with a drug, seemed only half conscious, was led to the far dissecting table, placed on his back by the soldiers, who then left the room. Komori went to a position on the left side of the Prisoner; Ishiyama took a position on the Prisoner*s right,next to these 2 men (?) and at the Prisoner's feet were Torisu and Hirao. Tsutsui and Miki were walking around the left side of the instrument table. Senba stood near the Prisoner's head. Sato stood be-yong the operating table to the left. Komori proceeded to cut off the bandage from the Prisoner's right shoulder, and an operating sheet was then placed over the body. The Prisoner’s shirt was off on his right shoulder when he entered and was taken off completely when the bandage was removed. There was a hole in the operating sheet which exposed the right side of the Prisoner's chest in the area in which the incision was to be made. Ishiyama injected a drug in several spots to effect local anaesthesia. Nogawa thinks the Prisoner had been sufficiently drugged so that he was completely unconscious when the operation started. Ishiyama then made an incision in the Prisoner's chest which started at the Prisoner's right breast and extended in a curve down the Prisoner's right side for about 6". The skin and the muscular flesh were retracted, exposing the ribs. 4" sections were cut out of 4 ribs exposing the pleura, which was then cut and retracted, exposing the lung. The main vein of the lung was sutured and the broncal (sic) tube to this lung was also sutured. The vein and tube were then cut out and all 3 sections of the right lung removed. When the lung was nearly removed, Ishiyama and Komori became excited because the vein or the artery to this section of the lung began Nogawa -2- to bleed badly. Komori asked Senba, "Isn’t the pulse rate bad?" Senba replied that it was. Ishiyama then ordered Senba to inject a colorless fluid into the Prisoner’s arm, said, ’Begin the injection into the artery," which Senba did, injecting about 800 cc of the fluid into the Prisoner. Senba then said that the pulse rate had improved greatly. Ishiyama turned to Sato and said, "What was just injected was sea-water properly diluted and filtered ." The pleura was then put back in place, the ribs replaced, and the gauze placed over the incision. During the next 10-15 minutes, everyone stood around and watched the patient's condition. Komori then once again retracted the ribs and the plura (sic). Komori then cut a large blood vessel in the Prisoner’s chest, and allowed the Prisoner to bleed to death, the Prisoner dying shortly after this. Nogawa did not notice whether or not the ribs were replaced and the incision sewed up. At the time Nogawa left the room carrying some operating instruments by himself. While the operation was in progress Hirako had come in and left several times— one time he spoke to Sato. Tanaka entered and watched the operation, Nogawa believes. Nurse Manabe had helped carry instruments to the room but left before this lung operation started. The next day Nogawa heard from either Hirao or Torisu that Sato had cautioned Ishiyama to keep these operations quiet. The Prisoner died as a direct result of the action of Komori in cutting the blood vessel. Soon after the blood vessel was cut, the Prisoner’s face turned pale blue, and he died. From what Nogawa saw of the Prisoner’s bullet wounds it did not appear that the bullets had penetrated to the lung; therefore the operation was unnecessary. The Prisoner's skin near his right shoulder was covered with small black holes as if he had been h it by many small pieces of small metal. Torisu and Hirao helped at this fir s t lung operation, holding the clamps which held open the incision with one hand. With the other, they handed gauze to Komori and Ishiyama and also some instruments to them, but the nurses mostly handled the instruments, these being Miki and Tsutsui. Senba also recorded the pulse and blood pressure of the Prisoner, upon which he took notes. Shortly after or during the fir s t operation, Nogawa heard Komori tell Hirako that the Prisoner was one taken from a B-29 plane. Sometime after this fir s t operation, Nogawa asked Torisu why unnecessary operations were performed on PWs, and he answered that he didn't know, but that "since it is the doing of the professor, there is nothing we can do about it . It is unavoidable." 2nd operation. About the middle of May 1945, about 1300, Nogawa noticed that operating instruments were sterilized and ready for carrying in a metal tray, and Nogawa assumed that there was to be another operation in the Autopsy Section. Either Hirao, Torisu, or Tsutsui told Nogawa that there was to be another operation (like the one before) in the autopsy section. Nogawa went about his Nogawa -3- work treating patients in the Surgical Clinic, about 1330 or 1400 wanted to see either Torisu or Hirao, and a woman visitor at the hospital said she saw them walking in the direction of the autopsy section. 20-30 minutes later, Nogawa went to the Autopsy Section room where the first operation had been held. The operations had not begun. Present were Ishiyama, Torisu, Hirao, perhaps Tsutsui, Morimoto, Mori. Nogawa asked Hirao or Torisu (thinks Torisu) what he wanted to know concerning the patients at the Surgical Clinic, left the room. About 1 1/2 hours later he returned to the room, is a bit confused between this series and the 3rd series. Entering the room this time he recalls seeing 2 dissecting tables at the far end of the room parallel to the length of the room; there was another table cross ways to these near to the near end of the right hand table upon which were placed instruments. On each of the fir s t two tables was an unconscious PW, both on their backs with their feet toward the hall. At the right table on the right hand side of the Prisoner near his stomach was Ishiyama; Komori was on the Prisoner's left and near his head. Near the instrument table stood either Manabe or Miki. Walking around near the instrument table was Tsutsui. Tanaka stood behind Komori and looked for a few minutes. Col. Sato walked around and watched the operation. Seriba was standing at the Prisoner's left hand shoulder just beyond Komori. Morimoto was there, walking around in the vicinity of the left end of the instrument table. When Nogawa enters, he believes that one part of the Prisoner's lung had been removed and had been placed in a tray behind Ishiyama's back. Nogawa could not see the chest area operated on since it was covered with a sheet. Ishiyama and Komori were proceeding to perform a liver operation on the Prisoner; the incision had been made and retracted from just below the ribs down to the navel. Torisu and Hirao were holding the clamps which retracted the skin around the incision. Ishiyama was cutting o ff the left side of the liver. Komori was attempting to stop the flow of blood. After the left side was cut out a great deal of time was spent stopping the flow of blood from the surface of the liver from which the left side had been cut. After the flow of blood had sufficiently stopped, the incision was sutured with clamps. Before this liver operation was completed, Komori and either Torisu or Hirao left this operation and proceeded to the Prisoner who was lying on the dissecting table to the left. Nogawa believes Komori took his position on thO right side of the Prisoner, the other doctor across from him. Nogawa thinks Manabe passed the instruments in this 2nd operation. This was a stomach operation, Nogawa believes. Shortly after Komori left the first Prisoner, Ishiyama finished up and followed to the 2nd Prisoner; with him went whoever was left—Torisu or Hirao. Komori was in charge of this operation. Since Nogawa was not too interested in watching a stomach operation, he talked for a while with Miki, who was sterilizing instruments. Nogawa also talked for a while with Tsutsui. They told him that they were tired . Tanaka and 1-2 others he didn't know were doing something to the body that had undergone a lung and liver operation earlier. Tanaka was standing by the Prisoner's legs with a glass containing a yellow-brown liquid—Nogawa thought he might be injecting this fluid Nogawa -4- into the Prisoner's legs to preserve the body. Nogawa at this time stood in the vicinity of the wash basin and waited, did not watch too closely. About the time Tanaka finished his work the stomach operation was completed— this was a period of about 50 minutes, then about 1730-1800, Nogawa walked back to the Surgical Clinic by himself carrying some of the operating instruments. While the instruments were being assembled, Komori said to Ishiyama that he was going to put some poisonous medicine in this blood and make a poison for bedbugs. Nogawa noticed a tray which contained the extracted left side of the liver and some blood on the floor in the middle Of the room. Ishiyama nodded. Nogawa then left. Nogawa saw nothing wrong with the removed part of the lung, the left side of the liver, thus these 2 operations were unnecessary, Nogawa believes. Nogawa did not see the stomach or watch the 3rd operation closely, so he cannot give an opinion. Either at this or the 3rd series, Nogawa saw a wooden box which is used in Autopsy to put dead bodies in to be cremated. 27 May 1945 there was a meeting of the Fukuoka Surgical Assembly, at which meeting Ishiyama made the statement, following Tomoda's lecture on his experiments with AA, that AA is comparatively difficult to extract, while sea water is plentiful and should be used. Following this statement Komori stated that sea water could also be used when injected into the veins to relieve nervous trouble and pain resulting from open wounds. Nogawa left the University 28 May (death of father anniversary) to about 2 June 1945. About 1300, 5 June either Hirao or Tsutsui stated that there was to be another (the 3rd) operation in the Autopsy Section classroom. About 1400-1430 Tsutsui told Nogawa that he was to go over behind the autopsy section and watch for the arrival of the Prisoners. Nogawa supposes that Hirao or Ishiyama told her to tell him. 2-3,perhaps Manabe, Miki and Nogawa carried some instruments over to the Autopsy Section classroom where the operations were to be performed. Nogawa then went out alone to a grassy area behind the autopsy section to wait the arrival of the Prisoners. Senba, and perhaps a few others were waiting about 20' away. Ishiyama and Hirako stood near the building, entrance. Nogawa heard Ishiyama say to Hirako a couple of times, "Haven't they come yet?" About 1500 a truck appeared with soldiers; Nogawa went into the Autopsy classroom to announce the arrival of the Prisoners. Ishiyama and Hirako who had gone back into the buildihg previous to this came outside again. Nogawa followed them out near the truck. Ishiyama and the army doctor, Komori, were talking. The soldiers helped 2 Prisoners off the truck. The Prisoners, with their arms on the shoulders of the soldiers, were led in the direction of the hallway that goes between the Autopsy Section and the Pathology Section. Nogawa doesn't know whether the Prisoners were taken into the building via the entrance at this hallway or a nearer entrance through the building where preserved bodies are kept. Nogawa -5- Nogawa stood near the rear entrance of the Autopsy Section for a few minutes, then went into the Autopsy class room where the operations were held via the rear entrance. One Prisoner was already covered with an operation sheet. In the room were Ishiyama, Hirako, Komori, Mori, Hirao, Morimoto, Seriba, Tsutsui and 2-3 other nurses, including, perhaps, Miki. Nogawa left the room almost at once and left the Autopsy Section via the long hallway going towards the front of the building. On the way out, Nogawa noticed a soldier standing at the door of the little room with a straw mat floor where students changed their clothes. Nogawa presumes the Prisoners were in there, did not see them. Nogawa returned briefly to the Surgical Clinic to give treatment to some patients, returned shortly before 1600 to the where there were 2 PWs on dissecting tables, arranged the same as at the 2nd series of operations. The operation on the right hand side of the room had been finished. Nogawa could tell he had been operated on because of the blood on the operating sheet— believes he had been operated on in the region below the chest. Believes Prisoner was still breathing. Soon after, Ishiyama told Mori to perform a stomach operation on the PW who was lying on the table on the left. Mori stood on the Prisoner's right, Hirao on his left. Miki was standing at the far side of the instrument table from where the operation was going on. Komori stood across from Hirao and Mori. Nogawa left the room, relaxed out on the grass behind the Autopsy Section. 40-50 minutes later Nogawa reentered. Ishiyama was performing a heart operation on a PW at the right hand table. Ishiyama was standing on the Prisoner's right, Komori on his left. Morimoto, Tsutsui, Mori, Hirao and Nogawa stood by and watched. A circular incision of about 4" was made just below the left breast with the concave side to the left. The skin, flesh and bones had been retracted; Nogawa could see the heart. When the heart was reached, Ishiyama went around to the left hand side of the Prisoner, took the heart in the palm of his left hand and with a scalpel he cut about a one inch incision in the heart, then inserted a pointed instrument into the incision and started to poke around. He then sewed up the incision with thread. He then put the heart back in place and watched for a few minutes to see whether blood was going to flow from it or not. Since it did not appear as if blood were going to come out, he placed the ribs and skin back in place—Nogawa doesn't know whether the incision was sutured or not. 2-3 minutes after the heart operations were completed, the Prisoner died. "I guess he died as a result of the operation." Nogawa thinks either Ishiyama or Komori said the Prisoner died. The instruments were then assembled and Nogawa helped carry some of them back to the Surgical Clinic. Nogawa believes one Prisoner was operated on the fir s t time, 2 the 2nd time, 3 the 3rd time, which is the la st he saw. After returning to the University on 20 June after being married, Nogawa heard that there had been another series Nogawa - 6 - of operations from Tashiro, who told him that there seemed to have been a brain operation on a PW during his absence, that Ishiyama said that the brain operation had been a failure because there was no aspirator available. Nogawa believes 1 or 2 were operated on the 4th time. Nogawa doesn't recall any other than orthodox instruments used. In the first operation, morphine injections and local anaesthetic were applied. The drug used for the local was percamin, a Japanese product. In the other operations, Nogawa believes local anesthetic was used and occasionally Nogawa recalls smelling ether. Besides carrying instruments, Nogawa connected and adjusted the stand lamp which was used during some of the operations. During the liver operation-this was at the time of the 2nd series of operations-Nogawa held the lamp. The lamp was such that it could stand by its elf or be held in the hands as desired. The lamp was used standing by its elf during the heart operation of the 3rd series of operations and perhaps during the stomach operation of the same series. Nogawa doesn't believe Ishiyama was correcting any ailment of the heart by his actions during the heart operations. Nogawa believes Ishiyama could have been working on the correction of an ailment of the heart valves when he poked around with a pointed instrument in the incision he made. The 1st Surgical Clinic operating rooms were not being used during these operations—Ishiyama would attend almost a ll operations conducted at his clinic. Nogawa presumes these operations had some connection with the War Department since Ishiyama was a war department Temporary Civilian. Nogawa doesn't believe these operations were performed with the notice of the head of the Medical College, (Ohno) and the Director of the Hospital, (Nakajima.) |