1. HAWAII 'S WARTIME HEALTH AND SOCIAL RESEARCH.
- Author
-
Hormann, Bernhard L.
- Subjects
PUBLIC health ,WORLD War II & health ,ELECTRIC power failures ,CURFEWS ,EPIDEMICS ,MEDICAL care - Abstract
The article focuses on a study conducted by the War Research Laboratory on public health in Honolulu, Hawaii during the first critical period of World War II. In the period from December 1942 to March 1943, the members of the research staff interviewed 54 physicians in all medical fields and of various racial ancestries: 27 haoles, one Korean, eight Chinese and 17 Japanese. The blackout and curfew were so involved in the various changes of the whole way of life that it would have been difficult to isolate them as factors. Several epidemics or near-epidemics have confronted the community. In the summer of 1943, Hawaii had its first cases of dengue fever. On one side it is argued that the large number of male war workers away from home require more than the normal amount of care from physicians, dentists and nurses because they are not able to get the minor care that women in the home usually give. Servicemen, for instance, were used extensively as mosquito inspectors and were very helpful in virtually eradicating dengue from the community. While doctors of all racial groups have declared their willingness, even eagerness, to be recruited the services in practice seldom accept Oriental physicians.
- Published
- 1945