Roberts Hospital patient
August 10, 2010
My father worked in Roberts Hospital but was also a patient there on at least two occassions. On November 9, 1942 he was admitted with fairly acute forms of pellagra, a vitamin deficiency disease, and tinea cruris, a skin fungal disease otherwise known in Singapore as ‘Dhobi Itch.’ He would remain in hospital for almost three months before being discharged on February 5, 1943. During this time he kept an almost daily record of his condition, diet and medications. Many of the entries are too personal to be quoted here but I have selected a few from the weeks leading up to and following his discharge. A more extensive account of his Christmas Day, 1942 appears in an earlier post.
10th January
Acriflavine painted on – not on gauze. There is no sign of Tinea or Diphtheria. Pulse remains around 64.
19th January
Marmite replaced by 1/2 pint rice polishings. Can now walk several hundred yards with no effect on heart.
February 5
Released from hospital. Still rather weak on legs but otherwise quite OK. Head swims after standing for half an hour or so.
13th February
1 week’s special diet. Weight 9st. 8lbs. without boots. Feeling well except for rheumatic or sprained feeling in ankle joints & in neck. The ankle feels as though it would give way when bearing weight of body. Cannot walk without stooping.
6th March
1 week’s light duty. Off special diets. Weight 10 st. 0lbs.
Book D, pp. 13-14
