John Ash Lecture on the History of Medicine

The Sir Arthur Thomson Charitable Trust: John Ash Lecture on the History of Medicine

Professor Geoff Gill (University of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine): "Disease, Death and Survival on the Thai-Burma Railway, 1942-45".

This lecture will be of interest to those students who are considering a career in medicine and its allied professions. It describes what is probably the ultimate example of emergency medicine. During World War II over 60,000, mainly British, servicemen who were captured by the Japanese were forced to work on the so-called "Death Railway". Working conditions were appalling, the climate in hospitable, and food supplies grossly inadequate, making the prisoners of war extremely vulnerable to a wide variety of tropical infections and syndromes of malnutrition. No medical care was given by their Japanese captors, and it fell to the doctors and medical orderlies who were also prisoner of war to treat the sick, which they did with little in the way of medical equipment or drugs. Although 20% had died before their release in 1945, the improvised medical care undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives.

Refreshments available, no registration required.