Health of Repatriated Prisoners of War From the Far East

On the completion of hostilities with Japan it was inevitable that a large number of allied prisoners of war would be released from Japanese prison camps. Approximately one third of these were American. The period of captivity had ranged from three and one-half years to a few days. The conditions under which most of them had lived were those of starvation, filth and lack of suitable clothing, with periods of definite torture. Thousands died as a result of these hardships. It was believed that a careful health survey of those who survived might be of value in helping to determine the best future care for them, the possibility of the prevention of the spread of communicable conditions in their families and communities, and a better understanding of the changes which take place in man after exposure to such living conditions. To achieve these objectives a board was established by the