Due to our living conditions, it was not long before disease and sickness broke out. Dysentery spread rapidly through the camp. On the 4th January I contracted it and was sent to the makeshift hospital with a temperature of 104°. However, the Japanese, realising their own troops would suffer if they did not stop the epidemic, now ordered all serious cases to be taken to Bowen Road Hospital.
The journey to the hospital was interesting, or would have been, had we been in the condition to take notice: we saw street upon street in ruins, and in many cases, whole blocks had been destroyed in the street fighting and bombing. On arrival at Bowen Road Hospital, we discovered that although large red crosses were prominently displayed on the roof tops, the place had been hit repeatedly by dive-bombers, which had completely destroyed the whole centre block.
Although the buildings were riddled with shrapnel and bullet holes, the hospital had functioned marvelously, and many lives had been saved by the skill and determination of the doctors and nursing staff. Fortunately, there was a large reserve of medicines and drugs (most of which were later taken over by the Japanese) and we soon recovered.