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Medical problems common to soldiers and prisoners of war
in the Philippines, 1940–45
Disease
Symptoms
Advanced stages
Cause
Treatment, comments
Beriberi, dry
Tiredness, irritation, nausea,
constipation, poor memory,
numb toes, burning
sensation in the feet, sore
legs, calf muscle cramps,
unsteady walk, difficulty in
getting up from a squat.
Shrunken muscles, loss of
reflexes in knees and feet,
feet may hang limp. Disease
can cause death.
Lack of thiamine, a Bcomplex vitamin.
Thiamine.
Tiredness, irritation, nausea,
constipation, poor memory,
rapid heartbeat, sweating.
Weakened heart, swelling in
the legs, heart failure,
extreme bloating. Disease
can cause death.
Lack of thiamine, a Bcomplex vitamin.
Thiamine.
Body lice
Intense itching with deep
scratches around shoulders,
flanks, neck. Bites appear as
small red pimples; may
cause generalized skin rash.
Headache, fever, bacterial
infection. Body lice can
spread typhus or other
infections.
Pediculosis humanus
corposis, a small (1/16 inch)
insect that feeds on skin.
Associated with wearing the
same clothes for long periods
without laundering, shared
bedding, close contact.
Washing clothing and
bedding in boiling water,
ironing seams at high
temperature, treating clothing
with 1% malathion powder or
10% DDT powder.
Broken bones
Single fracture: bone breaks
in one place, does not pierce
skin.
Trauma, weakened bones
from poor nutrition.
Support and protect broken
bones with splints, casts, or
braces. Limit motion to allow
injured bone to heal.
Beriberi, wet
Compound fracture: bone
breaks in two or more
places.
Thiamine rich foods include
brown rice, whole grains, raw
fruits & vegetables, legumes,
seeds, nuts, yogurt, pork,
beef, liver, brewer’s yeast.
Thiamine rich foods include
brown rice, whole grains, raw
fruits & vegetables, legumes,
seeds, nuts, yogurt, pork,
beef, liver, brewer’s yeast.
Open, compound fracture:
Disease information
RETA Battle for Bataan
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Disease
Symptoms
Advanced stages
Cause
Treatment, comments
Severe, life-threatening
dehydration.
Cholera is caused by the
bacterium Vibro cholerae,
which can be found in
contaminated food or
untreated water.
Rehydration (replacing liquids
through drinking or through
an intra-venous [IV] drip) with
a solution of water, sugar,
and salt; antibiotics can
hasten recovery.
bone breaks and pierces
skin. Can easily become
infected.
Cholera
Watery diarrhea, vomiting.
Prevented through
cleanliness and wastewater
treatment systems.
Dengue fever
Diphtheria
Sudden high fever, chills,
headache, eye pain, red
eyes, enlarged lymph nodes,
flushed face, lower back
pain, extreme weakness,
severe leg and joint pain.
Most people infected with
dengue fever are immune to
further attacks. In some
cases, however, extreme
reaction to a second infection
can cause fever, headache,
coughing, purple spots on the
skin, bruises from internal
bleeding, abdominal pain,
vomiting, shock.
Dengue fever is caused by
any of several mosquitoborne viruses.
Symptoms vary with location
of infection.
Nasal, pharyngeal, and skin
forms are milder forms.
Nasal diphtheria produces a
watery or bloody discharge;
pharyngeal: sore throat, mild
fever, rapid pulse,
weakness; laryngeal: high
fever, cough, difficulty
breathing; skin: ulcer forms
at infection site, wound is
Advanced patients develop a
swollen “bull neck”;
complications from breathing
problems can result in death.
Diphtheria is caused by the
body’s reaction to poisons
from a virus that infects
bacteria; the bacteria, in turn,
infects humans. The poison
destroys healthy tissue, and
fluid from the cells forms a
tell-tale gray to green film of
diphtheria infection.
Diphtheria is contagious.
Disease information
There is no known cure.
Medicines may reduce fever
and aches. Fluids can
prevent dehydration. Blood
transfusions may be needed.
Dengue fever cannot be
transmitted from person to
person.
RETA Battle for Bataan
Treatment must be for both
the poison and the bacterial
infection. Hospital care is
required for patients with
breathing trouble. An antitoxin
to counteract the poison must
be given immediately,
followed by antibiotics, to kill
the bacteria.
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Disease
Symptoms
Advanced stages
Cause
Treatment, comments
Without treatment, dysentery
can lead to death.
Dysentery can be caused by
infection with a parasitic
amoeba or one of several
bacteria. Dysentery from
shigella is very contagious
and can lead to widespread
epidemics.
Rehydration (replacing liquids
through drinking or through
an intra-venous [IV] drip) to
replace lost fluids and
antibiotics to control infection.
slow to heal and may be
numb to touch.
Dysentery
Bloody diarrhea, fever,
stomach pain, rapid weight
loss.
Prevented through
cleanliness, wastewater
treatment, and hygiene and
through boiling water.
Gangrene,
moist
Red line surrounding the
border of injury, sensation of
heaviness in the affected
area, severe pain, skin
swollen and may be
blistered, red, warm to touch
before turning bronze,
brown, or black. Pus is foulsmelling.
Fever, rapid heart rate, rapid
breathing, loss of appetite,
diarrhea, vomiting, vascular
collapse.
Moist gangrene may occur
after an injury that stops or
restricts blood flow to an
area. Bacteria grows in the
injured tissue and causes
gangrene.
First, infection is treated with
antibiotics. Second, the
affected tissue or limb is
surgically removed. Other
treatment includes pain
medication, intravenous
fluids, and blood transfusions.
Good nutrition is critical to
healing.
Gangrene,
gas
Similar to symptoms of moist
gangrene, but instead of foul
smelling pus, discharge is
sweet smelling and watery.
Gas gangrene spreads
rapidly through the
bloodstream and may infect
vital organs.
Cause is similar to moist
gangrene, but bacteria can
live with little oxygen.
Immediate antibiotics and
surgery to remove affected
tissue.
Malaria
All types of malaria:
Uncontrollable chills followed
by high fever, then sweating.
Can include tiredness,
severe headache, nausea,
vomiting.
Malaria symptoms follow a
pattern of chills, fever, and
sweats that can last for
weeks or months.
Malaria is caused by any of 4
species of Plasmodium, a
parasite carried by
mosquitoes.
Treatment for all strains of
malaria is the drug
chloroquine. Falciparum
malaria is treated in hospitals,
and treatment depends on
where malaria was contracted
because some strains are not
affected by some drugs.
Disease information
Falciparum malaria is more
severe than other types of
malaria and can kill people
RETA Battle for Bataan
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Disease
Symptoms
Advanced stages
Cause
within hours of infection.
Treatment, comments
Treatment may include IV
(intra-venous) fluids, blood,
transfusions, kidney dialysis,
and breathing help.
Malnutrition
Anemia, diarrhea,
disorientation, goiter, loss of
reflexes, lack of
coordination, muscle
twitches, scaling or cracking
of lips and mouth, thin hair
that pulls out easily, night
blindness, aching joints, sore
bones, bleeding gums.
Death by starvation.
Poor diet: eating either too
little food or food lacking in
items the body needs.
Change diet.
Pellagra
Redness and swelling of
mouth and tongue, diarrhea,
skin rash, memory loss.
Thickened, pigmented skin
may fall off, exposing patient
to infection; abdominal pain,
bloating, nausea, vomiting,
bloody diarrhea, insomnia,
apathy, confusion,
depression, hallucinations,
stiffness in arms and legs,
involuntary sucking and
grasping motions.
Niacin deficient, a B-complex
vitamin. Common in areas
with corn-based diets.
Supplement with niacinamide
(a form of niacin).
Recurrent recollections or
dreams about war,
flashbacks, emotional
numbing, distress following
reminders of battle, and
feeling on edge and alert for
threats.
Untreated PTSD can result in
depression, with symptoms of
sadness, poor concentration,
lack of interest in others,
appetite change, irritability,
change in sleep patterns,
apathy, lack of energy, and
feelings of worthlessness,
hopelessness.
PTSD is caused by severe
and often prolonged trauma.
Counseling with a
psychologist or psychiatrist.
Treatment may include antidepressants, counseling.
PostTraumatic
Stress
Disorder
(battle
fatigue,
combat
stress)
Disease information
RETA Battle for Bataan
Complications: Many Bcomplex vitamin deficiencies
occur together and need to
be treated simultaneously.
Niacin occurs in liver, yeast,
meat, legumes, and whole
cereals.
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Disease
Symptoms
Advanced stages
Cause
Treatment, comments
Tuberculosis
Coughing, initially bringing
up yellow-green stuff that
becomes tinged with blood;
low fever, chest pain, loss of
appetite.
Chronic illness, increasingly
severe lung symptoms,
severe weight loss, a wasted
appearance. Can cause
death.
Tuberculosis is caused by
bacterial infection. It is not
highly contagious.
Tuberculosis is treated by
antibiotics, rest, and good
nutrition. Lungs are
sometimes collapsed
surgically so they can rest
and heal.
Typhus
Epidemic typhus: fever,
headache, weakness,
muscle aches, rash of spots
or bumps.
Epidemic typhus: swelling of
the heart muscle or brain, can
cause death.
Epidemic typhus: caused by
Rickettsia prowazekii, which
is carried by body lice.
Antibiotics such as
tetracycline and
chloramphenicol (all forms).
Scrub typhus: encephalitis,
pneumonia, swelling of the
liver and spleen.
Scrub typhus: caused by
Rickettsia tsutsugamushi,
which is carried by mites and
chiggers.
Prevented through good
hygiene and avoiding insects.
Drying of cornea, infection
inside the eye, blindness.
Lack of vitamin A.
Vitamin A.
Scrub typhus: fever,
headache, muscle aches,
cough, abdominal pain,
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
rash.
Vitamin A
deficiency
Night blindness.
Prevention: include in diet
liver, meat, eggs, milk, red
and orange vegetables such
as peppers, carrots,
pumpkins.
Treatment notes: quinine (anti-malaria drug) and sulfa, an antibiotic, were sometimes smuggled into camp.
Infected wounds were cleaned by maggots.
Prison doctors mixed guava leaves, cornstarch, and charcoal from coconuts to treat diarrhea.
Dr. Ralph Hibbs at Cabanuatuan Prison Camp invented a machine to collapse lungs of tuberculosis patients.
Treatment notes from Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides (2001).
Information from www.ahealthyme.com, accessed March 2003, sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
Disease information
RETA Battle for Bataan
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