History to Theirskilledpearldivers

history to theirskilledpearldivers. the Japanese becamethemostinfluential, largely thanks interdependence. Asians outnumbered Europeans and with racialandsocialstratatensionsbutcommercial dominated by white Australians of European origin, Broome developed rapidly asamultinational community, Declar Hospital, pearls Keywords successors’ clinicalskillsandcompassion. respected thankstoDr Tadashi Suzuki, thehospital’s first doctor, andhis attitudes, wasbitterly opposedby thewhitecommunity, butthehospitalbecame and geographically alien nation. Initially the proposal, challenging prevailing predominantly staffed,history controlled andfundedby alinguistically, culturally ABSTRACT The Japanese HospitalinBroome remains theonly hospitalin Australia’s A harmony ofcontrasts The Japanese Hospital in Broome, 1910–1926. poured into Broome. fromopportunists neighbouring countries and Australia pearl oyster, were discovered in thelate19thcentury, commercialmaxima quantitiesofPinctada Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Seri. When of Western Australia isclose to the Asian cities of The remote town ofBroome coast onthenorth-west Introduction successors. Dr Tadashi Suzuki, thehospital’s first doctor, and his thanks totheclinicalskills, availabilityand compassion of the hospitalanddoctors became appreciated largely initially strong oppositionfromcommunity, the white nursing staff) their own hospital. Although there was The Japanese funded,and staffed from built (apart the predominantly derived newspapers. from contemporary the Japanese doctors’ diaries, information is USA before theCivil War. considered worse than thatof African slaves inthe women used for prostitution. Their treatment was subjected tobrutality, imprisonment inchains, andtheir social order, sometimes beingbannedfrom thetown, Australian indigenouspeoplewere bottomofthe intolerance occasionally triggered friction. The lives linked to families back home. Racial jealousy and functional commercial relationships butseparatesocial crewed thepearlluggers. The diverse nationalitieshad the merchant arena and other Asian nationalities 156 1 1 Paper Victoria, Australia Senior Lecturer, UniversitySenior Lecturer, ofQueenslandSchool of Medicine,Brisbane, Australia; P Stride, tion ofInteresNo conflict of interests declared 2 4 A Louws Intheabsence of extanthospital records or Broome, Western Australia, decompression sickness, diving, Japanese 1

3 2 The Chinesedominated , thelargest collision with Western society destroyed their culture. land expressed through their creational mythology. The and cultural links, and their spiritualconnection to the enjoying the richresources of land and sea, intermarriages indigenous people occupied the Dampierpeninsula, Prior totheEuropean influx, several groups of Australian Broome – the beginnng The town necessary. and diving equipmentwithskilled divers became sexual services,the shallow until waterswere depleted shells duringtheday, andkept onboard overnight for women were kidnapped, forced todive naked for pearl without equipment. Inthe1860s and 1870s Aboriginal water, then by diving up to 10 fathoms (18 metres) pearl shellwas initially collectedby wading in shallow communication arrived irregularly by sea. Mother of no road or rail linksto the south and supplies and well for water by the mosquito-ridden mangroves, had settlement oftwo stores and a few houses, withanative west coastof Western Australia. Initially thesmall pearls, were discovered inRoebuckBay, onthenorth- pearl oyster and the only speciestoproduce South Sea In 1861, Pinctadamaxima when theshanty town was named after him! State’s Governor, Frederick Broome, was unimpressed in 1883, and town blocks were available from 1886. The near three wells by DampierCreek for a new township and famous explorer, John Forrest, chose an adjacent site in1879. port industry The government surveyor-general Asia than Australia; and where pearlshellmattered hawkers and prostitutes were more reminiscent of stalls andopiumdens, andtheslumdwellings of Broome, a town in which lanes lined withnoodle 2 Medical Student, MonashUniversity Medical School, 3,4 Roebuck Bay was proposed as a pearl J R Coll Physicians Edinb © 2015Royal Collegeof Physicians of Edinburgh e-mail Australia Queensland 4012 Brisbane Medicine ofQueensland School of University Correspondence to PStride , theworld’s largestknown http://dx.doi.org/10.4997/JRCPE.2015.215 J R Coll Physicians Edinb2015; 45: [email protected] 2015; 45: © 2015RCPE 3,4,5 156–64 156–64 4 history

13 157 The Beginning The Broome Municipal Municipal The Broome 13 1 l: al: The Japanese Hospital in Broome Hospital The Japanese An obelisk commemorates 40 40 commemorates obelisk An A subsequent editorial refuted refuted editorial A subsequent 3 2,16 17,18 12

14,15 anese Hospit By 1909 they had adequate funds for a Japanese Japanese a for funds adequate had they 1909 By 4 ap doctor’s salary, expenses and return fare pending pending fare and return expenses salary, doctor’s an sought They Act. Immigration the from exemption suitable a renovated and purchased doctor, appropriate Consul-General to the Japanese sent money and house, Government with the Federal who interceded in Sydney support. for They felt there was a lack of cultural medical attention, cultural medical attention, lack of a was there felt They Japanese with a Hospital Japanese build a to sought and doctor. Nine hundred Japanese people are buried in the Broome buried in the Broome people are Japanese Nine hundred in while working young dying many cemetery, Japanese industry. pearl the the official gave Japan, the Consul-General for Uyeno, Mr doctor Japanese-speaking a only that viewpoint Japanese non- of the many the symptoms could understand had They pearlers in Broome. English speaking Japanese said Uyeno doctor. no complaint about the government The J in a Japanese doctor of a Japanese The controversy the Dr Paton, nationwide comments. hospital provoked to the Principal Medical wrote District Medical Officer, He reported on 17 September 1910. Officer in Perth had declined an application that the local health board Hospital the Government as Hospital Japanese a for that a beriberi all, for accommodation free provided would there that and request, local at created was ward the or doctor local the for revenue inadequate be The admissions. without the Japanese hospital in Broome in agreement. PMO replied The Japanese and other Asians attracted both racial both Asians attracted and other The Japanese of Mr X Donnelly, 1913 August In criticism and support. complained Union, Workers and Harbor Rivers the Dock, retail, monopolised and Japanese that the Chinese in northernmedical concerns and financial, banking and Australia. Western Japanese sailors and divers who died when 41 pearling who died when 41 pearling sailors and divers Japanese Thirty-three April 1908 cyclone. lost in the were luggers caused when the bends 1914, dated are the graves of painful deaths. many Council and the Pearlers’ Association protested to protested Association the Pearlers’ Council and and letter for telegraph Deakin by Alfred Prime Minister to objected they because also and reasons, the above ‘a full-fledgedmedical practitioner of an alien having always ‘had Japanese the Arthurbelieved Male race’. free, for attention’ medical of best the hithertoreceived the Chinese and from similar demands feared they and populations. Afghan people sleeping on verandahs, and toilets adjacent to toilets adjacent and on verandahs, people sleeping sleeping spaces. kitchens and these points, listing white bakers, tailors and retailers tailors and retailers listing white bakers, these points, in the area. working Japanese. Hospital were Half the patients in the Broome

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A 11 9 Dr 4 6 That year, approximately approximately That year, 8 156–64 The Australian Government 8 7 However, the Japanese Consul felt Consul Japanese the However, 2015; 45: 2015; 10 anese influence in Broome ap The Japanese belong to an empire whose standard of standard whose empire an to belong Japanese The higher than that of kanakas, civilisation much is so or other Eastern Indians, Pacific Islanders, negroes, terms to them in the same peoples that to refer reproach a of in the light but be regarded cannot more than human life. Tales of murder, rape, theft, theft, rape, murder, of Tales life. than human more with side by side found treacherybrutality and are pioneering vision. and honesty, courage, J R Coll Physicians Edinb Coll Physicians J R © 2015 RCPE this should not apply to his countrythis should not apply stating: 250 boats harvested250 boats of pearl shell 1000 tons almost £100,000. worth over Stores and hotels were established, including the famous established, were hotels and Stores few a by made fortunes Fabulous were Hotel. Roebuck of when the value businessmen astute pearlers and and financial capitals, in global escalated pearl of mother the best pearls as providing was acknowledged Broome required town remote The markets. international for dependency developed hence a mutual self-sufficiency, The nationality. and colour wealth, class, of divides across and willing divers skilful and pearling industry required job. best at this hazardous migrants proved Japanese Senator Staniforth population: Smith described the town all quarters of the from together gathered were ‘Here collection of nations, earth the most heterogeneous a veritable saw, and races I ever languages creeds, museum’. ethnological written dictation test, in any European language, individually language, European in any written dictation test, ‘undesirables’, out a migration officer to keep selected by migration. restricted Graham Blick, the local government doctor, notified the doctor, the local government Blick, Graham of many of the hazards council in the 1912 health report consisting was 1358; In 1901 the population of Broome and other Europeans Japanese, Filipinos, of Malays, nationalities including Timorese. huge pearling a developed Broome Within 20 years, international new the further by stimulated industry, Broome. cable passing through submarine telegraph The J into Broome integrated people rapidly The Japanese white the of equals social as not although society, two-thirds today, Though called Chinatown community. the original historic heartthe population of of of Asian The Japanese. were in Carnarvon Street Broome its 20 unhygienic; and quartervery became overcrowded of the pearling contained all the requirements acres to brothels, restaurants and merchants from industry; to opium dens. pearl cleaners and sail makers from Immigration Act commenced the white Australia racist the white Act commenced Immigration in 1973. which persisted until abolished by policy, The Japanese divers, merchants and other workers and and and other workers merchants divers, The Japanese from exempted were to Broome their families going this act. history aged 19 and reached Broome in 1907. gentleman, Saumi, whomigrated to Australia in1895 from in the 1950s with a Japanese an interview racial prejudice. A totally different perception comes town’and concludedthattheoppositiondemonstrated susceptibilities of the whitepopulationinthat salubrious Broome seems to have deeply shocked tender thevery in fellow-countrymen amonghis doctor practicing arguments, noting that ‘the prospect of seeing a Japanese reported inseveral states, registration if hepossesses British qualifications’. objection can bemade to such a medical man’s opposition. The PMO replied to Dr Paton: ‘No valid Japanese medicalqualificationsinthe UKfinally quashed Minister, On 3 August 1909, Mr Littleton Groom, External Affairs friendship between theUK, Japan and Australia. mutual interests against China andRussia, ensured The Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Alliance of1902, supporting Japanese perception. Blick’s declininghealth, must represent aprevalent some 40years later, perhaps related totheperiodof statementgiven defamatory unsubstantiated This special need for hisservices’. excluded from an Australian hospitalwhere there isa that a properly qualified Japanese doctor willbe Japan for Broome and stated: ‘I have no reason to expect graduate from Kyoto University, whowas about to leave that hehadalready employed aneminentmedical P Stride, A Louws and was replaced with Dr Tadashi Suzuki. Dr Kitiwaki, withdrew due to the illnessof his mother the Broome Japanese community. selection,The initial Restriction Act for a qualified Japanese doctor to attend 2–3 year exemption undertheImmigration certificate orderly, efficient, reliable nation. war, and the Japanese were respected as a decent, were welcomed toJapan theRusso-Japanese toobserve information was shared, Australian Navy representatives 158 hospital. and establish our own had no choice but to try patients admitted under these circumstances. We More than half thegraves were in thecemetery of What was the treatment? Well, most of them died. would clap theminisolationand thatwould bethat. Dr Murder. Ifanyone got malariaor beriberi he an utter quack. Hewas so bad that his nicknamewas facility,point wasthedoctorandhe butthevital run by the state. There was nothing wrong with the hospital andaninfectious diseaseshospital–both our own hospital. There wasinBroome ageneral sought to introduce a Japanese doctor and set up source ofdeepconcerntousandfor many years we The manya deathsamong our colleagueswas(sic) 23 announced in the House of Representatives a 4,20 14 repeating theopposing 19 That statement was 22 The recognition of 24

21 Military Military 13 isolated the sailor until smallpoxisolated thesailoruntil becameapparent. vaccinated, Blicksuspected chickenpox, butcautiously the crew had a resolving rash; though well and previously quarantined the pearlinglugger An outbreak ofsmallpox hitBroome in1904. Blick the CentralBoard of Health. the Peace, acting Resident Magistrate and President of society withotherresponsibilities includingJustice of Medic The role ofDrBlick–Government In 1909Blickpublishedaseminal paper early 1900. from Oxford University before migratingto Australia in in Oxfordshire, graduated in law, medicineand pathology subsequently worked with DrSuzuki. Blick, born in 1868 opposed the concept of the Japanese Hospital, but Japanese populationincludingthe pearl divers; he ofdiving, complications medical hecared for the on the medical practitioner and a published expert officer, waspivotal inJapanese healthissues. As thesole Dr Graham Blick, the Broome government medical fortunately allsurvived. fortunately when five othercases on apearlingluggerfollowed; second smallpox outbreak inside three months occurred treated. later Blick said the isolated cases were appropriately cases ashore thefifthonboard. and observe medical officer, requestedisolate four Blick smallpox and Dr Lovegrove,Colonial Secretary theprincipal case.clothing asthesource The unrelated totheSultan largest pearlingcentre, whenknowledge of thebends years’ experience of diver’s paralysis intheworld’s Figure 1 28 al Officer1900–1912 5 Dr and Mrs Tadashi Suzuki, circa 1912 He was a leading member of Broome J R Coll Physicians Edinb 26 Blick suspected imported Blicksuspectedimported Sultan, because one of 2015; 45: 29 detailingeight © 2015RCPE 27 Five days 156–64 25 The history Dr 3 159

5 worked briefly briefly worked 3 The aetiology of beriberi 3 The Japanese Hospital in Broome Hospital The Japanese

33 before Dr Goldstein replaced Blick as medical quarantine medical as Blick Goldstein replaced Dr before on the autopsy Goldstein performed officer at Broome. the white divers. the last fatality among Sanders, was debated, one school blamed consumption of one school blamed consumption of was debated, Spectrum of diseases in Broome century20th also in early found conditions The Broome Hospital patients, among the Japanese occurred included: diseases Prevalent particularlyproblems. diving whooping cough, smallpox, infant and maternal mortality, diseases, venereal and fever rheumatic tuberculosis, diving or suicides infections, heart disease, drowning, were lugger crews Many leprosy. beriberi and incidents, cyclones. and storms unpredictable to lost Beriberi and sea at common was thiamine deficiency, or Beriberi, officer medical resident The community. Asian the among the over 489 non-fatal cases and deaths 72 reported period 1910–1912. year three Two locums, Dr Paton, then Dr Shaw, Dr Paton, locums, Two Arthur Haynes served in Gallipoli, before becoming before served in Gallipoli, Arthur Haynes 25 years. Officer for District Medical Broome By early 1912, Blick’s health was deteriorating. Shaw Shaw deteriorating. was health Blick’s 1912, early By during sustained a lacerated finger accidentally thought chronically a caused had diver Japanese a on autopsy an England to Blick returned late 1912 In wound. infected finger, infected his chronically on perhaps surgery, for and widespread, was but the disease cancer, for perhaps children and four a widow leaving he died in November in Broome. 156–64 In 1869 Dr Alphonse Jaminet In 1869 Dr 30 2015; 45: 2015; 32 Gray’s 1893 text of neurological disease 1893 text of neurological Gray’s 31 The Japanese Hospital in Broome Hospital The Japanese Figure 2 Figure J R Coll Physicians Edinb Coll Physicians J R © 2015 RCPE records only 16 known autopsies on decompression decompression on autopsies 16 known only records victims in the USA. Pearl shell was gathered from depths down to 25 depths down from shell was gathered Pearl wheels pumped air into helmets. hand and fathoms lb per 50 to 20 of overpressures experienced Divers Pearling ascension. slow inch and Blick advised square some were offshore kilometres hundred several luggers 60 performed Blick medical attention. sailing from days currently perhaps fatalities, on decompression autopsies invariably these and world, in the series largest the with lungs and major vessels hearts, detected congested partial and disintegration of the spine with blood, scurvythe caused He believed internal haemorrhages. the bends from of haemorrhages higher frequency recommended and March, September and between cases. reduce to consumption vegetable increased motor 140 survivors managed Blick also more noting with varyingthan sensory defects severity neurological invariably associated in the legs, most marked paralysis, of survivorssubsequently Eleven with urinary retention. by caused septicaemia cystitis and eight from died, despite today problem ongoing an catheters, unclean and often slowly, recovered, Most modern antibiotics. particularly in left with slight paresis, were 10% about the anterior leg muscles. was limited. Joint pains after decompression were first were pains after decompression Joint was limited. in the 1830s. recorded was the first physician to experience and describe experience and to the first physician was Bridge, on Eads when working paralysis decompression USA. St Louis, history (5%) tosuicidesorhomicides. probably drownings) 241(25%)toinfections and47 disease(thoughmany373 (38%)toheart ofthesewere male deaths, 228 (23%) were attributed to drowning, were Asian, somehaving only recently arrived. Ofthe were between theagesof20and40mostthem recorded 1041deaths. Ofthese, 94%were male, 75% Broome death register between 1896 and 1915 16. in 1916,nine treated with by recompression in1915– total of29diedin1913, 33in1914, 21 in1915and19 more severe casesdiedatseadays from treatment. A decompression chamber did not prevent deaths, as they were strongly endorsed by Dr Yakuo Harada. but notallpearlersanddivers followed these, though developed tableswithrecommended ascensionrates, became slowly understood. The British Admiralty The pathophysiology of decompression sickness on nearby islands. impractical inthe tropics, so many were buried at sea or compressed. Returning bodies to Broome for burial was Some divers died before ascension or were unrecognisably caused frequent incapacitation painful deaths. or very prolonged diving, therefore decompression sickness crew anddivers knewof thehazards little ofdeep had to go deeper. The early pearling luggers owners, Once theshallow areas were depletedofpearls, divers The bends hospital isolation ward. infection and prevented spread further with apublic others,unpolished ricewhile includingBlick, blamedan P Stride, A Louws water four days earlier. 1915 on a Japanese diver paralysed in 10–15 metres of October 1914. Initial utilisationoccurred on 19 February installed arecompression chamberinBroome in Heinke, theBritishsubmarinemanufacturing company, as there unit. wasnopublichospital birthing inBroome Hospital wastheonly siteofobstetricservices remote ago. centre acentury In1912theJapanese ina rateandtherisksofchildbirth infant mortality Many graves reveal in the Broome cemetery the high and obstetrics Infant mortality recognised that an appropriate diet prevented beriberi. Government maternity unitbeestablished. controlled andstrongly institution’ recommended a of awhite by thebirth Australian baby in ‘an Asiatic the Ministerfor Works visitingBroome wasdisappointed Broome Historical Museum in 1991. rubbish dump, itwaslocated, restored and placed inthe 1954. Although subsequently abandoned on Broome sensation returned and he ambulated with a stick. recompression andgradualdecompression therapy, and anaesthesia of his legs. Following four hours 160 36 Its last recorded use in Broome Hospital was in 36 A lumbarlesioncaused paralysis 3 However Blick’s 1909 article 35

39 38 In July 1912 37 34 The The 29 Commission in 1905. accordingdiseases to in Roth’sa witness Royal women, some as young as 16, had died of venereal then 70between 1931and1976. 0 between 1898 and 1920, three between 1921 and 1930, notifications among the indigenous people in Broome were much more prevalent over the next 50 years. Official In Cape Leveque, of Broome, north the disease became Broome woman’s skindiseaseasadvancedleprosy. In 1912DrBlickandSuzukidiagnosedamixed-race 1798. The last recorded death in Scotland was on Shetland in there intheMiddle Ages, before progressively declining. Asia, it reached Europe in the last millennium BC, peaked people priortothe19thcentury. Wellknown inancient Leprosy was unknown inthe Australian indigenous Leprosy Japanese hospital for medication. crews and many Asians queued by torchlight outside the luggers were withinfected and incapacitated inport be delirious there were no deaths. A number of pearling outbreak in1919. Although 58peoplewere reported to Many residents were affected by a severe influenza Influenza during asmallpox epidemicin1866. explorers and settlers. Hundreds were saidtohave died fever andvenereal introduced diseases by white as smallpox, whooping cough, tuberculosis, rheumatic by the1870sfromand mortality infectious diseases such indigenous populationsuffered highratesofmorbidity 45 between 1896and1915. However thenon-immune deaths were recorded between 1896and 1901, and only largely ignored the Aboriginal people. No Aboriginal Between 1896and1915, theBroome deaths register Other infections and the indigenous people were notifiedacross northern Western Australia. Japanese Hospital. Between 1900and1920, 22cases Leprosy was diagnosed occasionally inthetimeof the from endemic Asian countriesratherthanfrom Europe. other aspects of Aboriginal health by obtaining evidence Dr Walter Rothenquired into venereal disease and Broome that year found eight tohave leprosy. isolation facilities. A review of 361 indigenous people in people, were arriving inBroome Hospital which lacked noted thatleprosy cases, predominantly indigenous leprosy. InJune 1936, theState Member of Parliament 1923, thattheBroome Hospitalmatron hadcontracted The RMOsreported totheRoad Board on19June managed intheDerby isolationhospital200kmaway. the community. the patientwasbriefly isolatedbefore dischargeinto Goldstein reported anothercaseofleprosy in1913; 41 Leprosy wasprobably introduced into Australia 3

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4 When the Japanese When the Japanese 20 51

52 Saumi noted the care of of Saumi noted the care 3,4 al The Japanese Hospital in Broome Hospital The Japanese

50 In 1911 the Japanese Community provided provided Community In 1911 the Japanese 16 In January 1912, Sister Immaculate Leahy, Leahy, Immaculate Sister In January1912, 5 ospit anese H The local Japanese community and Uyeno Uyeno and community Japanese The local 4 ap funds and a builder to construct a Catholic School, and a Catholic School, funds and a builder to construct the Sisters’ evening attended community the Japanese This and music. book-keeping classes in English, language, across Sisters the by achieved bond challenging wider the assisted greatly religion and culture Japanese proposed the of acceptance community’s doctor. Hospital with a Japanese The Sisters provided dedicated care for minimal minimal for care dedicated provided Sisters The 1910 until it Hospital from in the Japanese remuneration with doctor one Japanese assisting even in 1928, closed English. requested additional Japanese nurses, but after but after nurses, Japanese additional requested the parties, the interested between correspondence not prepared were as they this proposal Sisters blocked staff. nursing be subordinate to wished to open their own hospital, the controlling the controlling hospital, their own open wished to of the employment demanded Board Roads Broome the Sisters request At Dr Suzuki’s nurses. European Sister Michael and the nursing to undertake agreed enabling the newly became the first matron, Power to open. ‘Maza-Antoni’ hospital named Sister Mary Ignatius arrived in Broome in 1912, and and 1912, in Broome in MarySister arrived Ignatius carrying reportedly her night-shift the covered Hospital to the Japanese convent the from mattress each night. The hospital was constructed on the corner of Napier on the corner of Napier was constructed The hospital removed, been has structure The Streets. Lochlan and extant. are records hospital no and Nursingstaff in establishing essential of God were Sisters of St John Antonio, Sister its patients. for the hospital and caring of in the goldfields had nursed in 1859, born in Ireland volunteers, recruited and Australia Western the and sailed for sisters, Irish nursing predominantly After a in 1907. mission north of Broome Beagle Bay depended they where to Broome transferred they year and supportupon community accommodation, for financial support. The J the nuns greatly reduced the number of deaths from of deaths from the number reduced greatly the nuns and that the success of the beriberi and malaria, the between relations doctors improved Japanese Australian doctors. and Japanese The Catholic Sisters and the Japanese Buddhists Buddhists The Catholic Sisters and the Japanese a established rapidly and culture other’s each respected essentials The Sisters purchased relationship. working Japanese the young and stores the Japanese from the Catholic School rather than the attended children state school. died aged 25 from either typhoid or smallpox, while while either typhoid or smallpox, died aged 25 from The Japanese at the hospital. an epidemic nursing in the a marble Celtic cross erected community cemetery in her memory. He 44 The Riot Act Sir Francis Sir Francis 49 2 48 156–64 A white male died of enteric A white male died of enteric 47 34 3,45 2015; 45: 2015; 46 to maintain order. HMAS Geranium J R Coll Physicians Edinb Coll Physicians J R © 2015 RCPE fever in the Japanese Hospital under Suzuki’s care in care Hospital under Suzuki’s in the Japanese fever occurred had fever of outbreak An 1912. November quarterAsiatic the to attributed the to visitors among limited hygiene. district’s Newdegate, the state Governor of Western Australia, Australia, Western of Governor state the Newdegate, 1920 December 22 on Governor-General the to wrote calm would vessel also suggesting that a visiting naval and the local suggestion to deportthe town the industry particularly pearling the with Japanese, The Prime Minister announced the dispatch recession. of In 1914 a fight occurred between some 500 Japanese some 500 Japanese between In 1914 a fight occurred of hours five After (Timorese). Koepangers 200 and and 7–12 Koepangers 8–9 Japanese sporadic violence, in the treated All were seriously. two injured, were attending the Japanese presumably hospitals, two establishment. their own Trauma the surface in this below just Violence simmered and Government The society. multi-ethnic frontier post- performed therapy, provided doctors Japanese expertas mortemsin court. witnesses appeared and August on 30 in Broome Mark Liebglid was murdered abrasions, facial multiple detected autopsy Blick’s 1905. presumably finger, fractured a and skull fractures, three in the lungs Water instrument. heavy a blunt, by caused death, caused indicated that drowning stomach and Charles fatal. potentially were wounds skull the though and Simeon and Pablo Marquez an Englishman, Hagen, subsequently guilty and all found were Filipinos, Espada, murder. for hanged from police, pastoralists, priests and pearlers. and priests pastoralists, police, from A fight between a Japanese man and a Koepanger man and a Koepanger a Japanese A fight between in December 1920. a race riot in Broome precipitated Billy Minister, Prime the advised premier, state The and on 21 December 1920 outlining events Hughes, presence. a warship’s requesting was read and the police restored order, supported by order, and the police restored was read to admitted were Japanese Six civilians. male white Koepangers fatalities and five their hospital with two fatalities. with two also admitted, were noted ‘The boats’ crew suffer a good deal from from deal good a suffer crew boats’ ‘The noted loss of their labour is disease and the venereal has been made of Much the pearlers. by felt severely reality the and disease loathsome of incidence the had a higher over the world was that mariners reasons.’ all the usual incidence and for other of typhoid, outbreaks of major The avoidance tropical crowded in a A dysenteryof forms hepatitis and the to testimony a considered is environment, the plus Paton Suzuki and Blick, Drs of competence council health inspectors. history guidance of Dr Suzukiand the otherstaff. skilled medical care and competent nursing under the patients attendingtheJapanese Hospitalwere assured of Hospital.Government The doing a double workload, including running the By early 1912, Blick’s deteriorating healthleftDrSuzuki white doctor securing a monopoly. expressed anxiety that his departure would lead to a ability has been amply demonstrated in Broome, and him as a highly qualifiedpractitionerwhoseunquestioned William Webber intheJapanese HospitalinJune 1912. Dr Suzukiperformed thehighly significantautopsy on did not imply any professional incompetence. four-page letter, whichhepreferred tobekept private, ‘Blacks can never equalwhite’. To Suzuki’s credit, Blick’s white supremacist attitude widely prevailing then, stating his problems. Blickwasclearly astrong believer ofthe suggesting his communicationhad caused skillssomeof men whomay have beenoffended by someactofmine’ Club’. BlicknotedtheJapanese doctor ‘attends towhite 12 years, and wasnow ’absolutely ruledby theJapanese Blick’s opinion. Blickbelieved Broome had changed over sick with ‘some little unsoundness’ clearly insignificant in and that theJapanese doctor signed pearling crews off local attitudethata ‘coloured man was good as white’, be attendedby theJapanese doctor’, thatthiscaused the white men ‘had fallen so low as to allow theirwomen to Broome Suzuki was misleading, supporting that some claiming thatapetitionsignedby about100citizensof He wrote toHughMahon, federal memberfor Broome, Blick strongly opposed the renewal of Suzuki’s permit. year extension. professional skill and approved hisapplication for athree Broome from 1909–1912. The councilrecognised his aboard the Dr Suzukiarrived 1910 withhiswife on15January Hospit The first three years of the J P Stride, A Louws equipment was in perfect working order. died. Suzukiconfirmeddeath from thebends. Hisdiving into asemi-consciousstate, hisskinturnedlivid andhe His leftside became increasingly cold, helapsed back refused a decompression period and then deteriorated. deck, heclutchedhislegand fell briefly unconscious. He ascension times. At theendofdayrelaxing while on 7 June, Webber hada day’s diving withrepeated short They were much lessskilledatfindingpearlsshells. On superiority over the Japanese divers but failed disastrously. Navy divers who came to Broome to demonstrate their Scottish Hebrides. He led the group of British ex-Royal raised sunken Spanish treasure in Tobermory Bay inthe UK for hisdivingfeats. Heledthe group whosuccessfully Webber, a 32-year-old Englishman, was a celebrity inthe 162 al underDrSuzuki Koombana 3,16 A Broome Chronicle editorialdescribed , with a permit to practise in Nor’West stated that Echo 53 ap 3,55 anese 54

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probably a compliment to his clinicalskills. but also among the whites’, while resident in Broome, ‘a remunerative business, notonly among his compatriots paediatrics. The newspapers notedthat he had developed Dr Suzukireturned toJapan in1914, tospecialisein more expensive to employ. divers were less skilled at pearling than the Japanese and Webber’s theimpression death supported that British Broome attended his funeral with much sadness. and released gas. Most of the white population of the chambers of the heart, indicating a mixture of blood veins,some beadsofgasinthecoronary andfroth within joint, theeffect of air bubblesrupturingthejointspace, The autopsyrevealed ahaemorrhage around theknee Education Minister to the Japanese Hospital in May Governor, SirFrancis Newdegate, and Mr Colebatch, the Dr Harada replaced DrSuzukion14May 1914. Yakuo Harada 1914–1918 Subsequent J outdoor and 20 indoor patients. Sydney advised that the Japanese Hospital averaged 25 Correspondence to theJapanese consulgeneralin Dr Tojojiro was a Japanese Imperial University graduate. 1918–1921 Dr Tsukano Tojojiro overworked.’ is badly grateful recognition of his capable service...he known, that there is no need to do other than to make ‘his devotion tothedutiesofhispositionissowell His skillswere recognised in alettertothelocalpaper severe outbreak of influenza. residency. Tojojiro treatment during the 1919 supervised employing a senior Japanese nurse occurred during his clients who much regret hisdeparture’. was reportedthathe ‘gave every satisfaction to his denied access to the localGovernment Hospital. ‘to thetender mercies of the Japanese medico’ whowas finding awhitedoctor as the whiteinhabitantswere left ethnicity remain unknown. The newspaper recommended and the lady’s Unfortunately the outcome of this story to travel southby ship, andtoopoortopay thefare. would not operate unsupported. The lady was too sick absence of theGovernment MedicalOfficer, Harada 1915,to theJapanese HospitalinJanuary butinthe critically was admitted ill woman needing urgent surgery chamber from 1915onwards. 19 February therapyHarada supervised withtherecompression government hospital, duringBlick’s particularly absence. is surprisingasSuzukihadregular access rights to the of DiseasesChildren. Hedied in 1933. 1925, andfounding amedicaljournal, Journal theOriental Professor of paediatrics at Kyoto Empire University in subsequently had a distinguished career, beingappointed 60 When DrHarada lefton 27 June 1918it ap J R Coll Physicians Edinb anese Doctors 40 He welcomed the visiting 62 The debate about 34 61 2015; 45: 36 © 2015RCPE 57 DrSuzuki 156–64 59 This 58 A history 67 163 concludes . http://www. . 34 The Japanese Hospital in Broome Hospital The Japanese 5 August 1909. August and RichmondClarence Examiner 5 At a medical and nursing professional professional nursing At a medical and Anglo-Japanese Treaty Treaty Anglo-Japanese of Alliance 34 Dr Frank Wallace, appointed District District appointed Wallace, Dr Frank 4 August 1909. August (Perth) 4 16 30 July 1909. 30 July (unpublished 1871–1946. Australia The Japanese in DCS. Sissons LibraryState of 1973, Perth Conference, ANZAS presentation, Australia). Western An Alien Doctor. Alien An Doctor. historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/anglo-japanese-treaty-alliance 21/5/2015). (accessed and Australia on Records Partners: Trading Enemies and Allies, Oliver P. http://guides.naa.gov.au/allies-enemies-trading- the Japanese. partners/index.aspx21/5/2015). (accessed Daily News State Records Office Western Australia. Health 1910 2364.000-001 Australia. Western Office State Records 1909. August Singleton Argus 31 Doctor. The Japanese Symbol Control A1, Series no Australia. of Archives National (Yoshido Broome at Doctor ‘Japanese 43700 Barcode 1925/5576, Archie Letter. doctors]’. other Tsukano)[and Toyojuro and Harada 1909. August 7 Uyeno. to Male . Australia A story of Japanese pioneers in Number 2 Home, N. Jones p.49– 2002. Arts Press; Centre Freemantle WA: North Fremantle, 109. Acc AN120/4 Health 1909 Australia. Western Office Records State 1909. Item 5, 1003, Western white residents. by Protest Broome. for doctor Japanese Australian Cavendish R. R. Cavendish

level, it was a harmony of contrasts. of harmony a it was level, s Acknowledgement of God, courtesyof the Sisters of St John Pictures Broome The Japanese Hospital’s success encapsulated the the success encapsulated Hospital’s The Japanese racial diverse of Broome’s interdependence professional initial white minority’s the dominant despite groups, and regardless attitude, and white supremacist resistance nationalities, different among simmering mistrust of skilled professionally and to the socially thanks largely high unrecognised the previously and doctors Japanese Japanese in provided training medical of standard Norman a century ago. over medical schools the Japanese doctor was by 1925 an established established 1925 an doctor was by the Japanese European his by esteemed member, community the as and, closely with whom he worked colleagues to the benefit of the majority of pearlers agreed, community. Medical Officer to Broome in 1936, wrote of ‘...an of wrote in 1936, Broome to Officer Medical Japanese the between relationship excellent working each called we and in the town doctors European and other help each to or opinions second give in to other at operations’. re-erection at Beagle Bay, as a hospital for the ailing the for hospital a as Bay, Beagle at re-erection delayed was relocation The population. indigenous By the mission. damaged cyclone had because a severe and its fate is obscure. been moved 1939 it had not yet 20 21 19 22 23 13 14 15 16 17 18 64 . Broome, WA: WA: . Broome, 17 August 1913. 1913. August Perth 17 ter 65 . Broome, WA: Pindan; 2000. 2000. Pindan; WA: Broome, . . Sydney: Pan Macmillan; 2001. 2001. Macmillan; Pan Sydney: . 156–64 al – la 2015; 45: 2015; The StoryThe Chinese in Broome of the 66 General HistoryGeneral of Broome . Broome, WA: Pindan; Pindan; WA: Broome, Names. Street HistoryThe of Broome’s anese Hospit ap Tojojiro expressed concern about the safety of the safety concern about expressed Tojojiro 63 noted that the arrival of Dr Dr of arrival that the noted Chronicle Broome Burton V. BurtonV. Pindan; 1999. p.10–11. 1999. Pindan; http://www.naa.gov.au/ 1901. Act Restriction Immigration (accessed collection/a-z/immigration-restriction-act.aspx 21/5/2015). Melbourne. 1901-2. no 2, ParliamentaryCommonwealth Papers, p.855 Sunday Times, The North-West. – Asiatics 2001. p.14–44. 2001. http://www.broomeandthekimberley. and the Kimberley. Broome 21/5/2015). (accessed com.au/2011/03/06/broome-history-culture V.K. IndustryWA: Pearl-Shelling Australian . Perth, West The Smith S. 1903. & Co; Jones WA: Johnny Chi Lane. Down Broome, Walk A History K. Lawton p.25–29. 2003. Pindan; C. Wei S, Yu p.6–15. 2009. Publishing; Tangee WA: Kalamunda, Port. of Pearls H. Edwards p.52 White Divers of Broome The J. Bailey p.20–292. North Fremantle, . Years Early Broome’s S Beyond the Lattice: Sickert p.21–129. 2003. Press; ArtsCentre Fremantle WA: C. Shaw

J R Coll Physicians Edinb Coll Physicians J R © 2015 RCPE the track to the Japanese Hospital as patients were badly badly were patients as Hospital Japanese the to track the is unknown. the outcome though the drive, up by shaken References 1 The J point in to Gantheaume The dispensary was moved museum Broome to unreferenced 1934 according purchased Mission Bay Beagle the year, The next sources. intending fine building, a still Hospital, the empty Japanese The hospital closed in about 1928, when the new plastics new the when 1928, in about closed hospital The and mother-of-pearl, industryfor the demand reduced Anglosphere the between when international relations Japanese cooled coincident with increasing had Japan and hostilities. possible and power sea developments Dr Michio Sakai 1924–1927 Sakai Dr Michio Dr Sakai’s for applied consul-general The Japanese department customs and Broome, to appointment in in Broome his arrival records correspondence 7 on Australia from departure and 1924, November 1927. March Dr Masuyama Masogoshi 1921–1924 Masogoshi Dr Masuyama The a holiday to take enable Dr Haynes would Masogoshi of the Sisters to her thanks recorded Joston J Mrs a and their for Dr Masuyama and Haynes Dr God, of St John late husband. kind attention to her 1920. 10 11 12 6 7 8 9 2 3 4 5 history 25 24 P Stride, A Louws 28 27 26 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 39 38 37 36 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 47 164 Australian Smallpox at Broome. Outbreak on Steamer Sultan. Letter. Uyeno to Dept External Affairs. 23September1909. (Yoshido Harada and Toyojuro Tsukano)[and other doctors]’. 1925/5576, 9/11404, Barcode 43700 ‘Japanese Doctor at Broome National Archives of Australia. Series no A1, Control Symbol required. Smallpox at Broome. precautions Further being taken. More lymph July 1904. Smallpox at Broome. Another case reported. TheWestAustralian July 1904. Smallpox at Broome. Four cases reported. TheWestAustralian 1994. Gracey M, Spargo R. Deaths in Broome, Western Australia 1883 to BPA PrintGroup Pty Ltd. de BJE, Norman GV. APearling Master’s Journey November 1912. Broome’s Medical OfficerDiesinLondon. TheWestAustralian ofMedicine .Practitioners Philadelphia: LeaBrothers; 1893. Gray LC. A TreatiseMental Diseases: and onNervous For Studentsand 21: 258–60. Jarcho S. Alphonse JaminetonCaissonDisease. AmJCardiol 1968; Pacific Underwater MedSocJ1999; 29: 98–109. Acott C. of diving and decompression illness.A briefhistory S Blick G. Notes on diver’s paralysis. BMJ1909; 2: 1795–8. Australian The North-West. Visit of the Minister for Works. Member for Cue. Times8June 1912. Northern Nor’West 1915. 27February Echo Underwater MedSocJ2004; 34: 94–100. Thurston S. The firstBroome recompression chamber. SPacific for the prosecution. TheWestAustralian The Broome Murder. Accused beforecourt. thecriminal Evidence Broome 30November Chronicle 1912. http://bit.ly/1INcnrz (accessed 21/5/2015). of the RoyalReport Commission on the condition of the natives Times 28September1912. Leprosy atBroome. An editor’s find. At loggerheads. Northern Australia. University of Western Australia Press; 1978 Davidson W. 422. Manson P. Tropical Diseases. London: Casselland Co; 1898. p.383– November 1919. Influenza atBroome. Coloured populaceinterror. Western Mail20 Sunday Times 13December1914.Sunday Pitched battleatBroome between Japanese andKoepangers. Aust NZJPublicHealth1996; 20: 506–11. 3May 1904. 22July 1912. The WestAustralian Havens ofRefuge. ofLeprosy in A History Western 23July 1904. 8November 1905. Burwood,. Victoria: The West The West 19 16 18 67 66 65 Thanks. 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 Hospital. 54 53 52 51 50 49 48

Caring for the natives. TheWestAustralian 11December1935. Letter re Dr. Sakai. Harada and Toyojuro Tsukano)[and other doctors]’ Customs Dept 1925/5576, Barcode 43700 ‘Japanese Doctor at Broome (Yoshido National Archives of Australia. Seriesno A1, Control Symbol Broome 11December1920. Chronicle Broome. Capital oftheNorth West. Sovereign at andMinisterialparty S. Shimuzu, Consul General for Japan. 1925/5576, Barcode 43700 ‘Japanese Doctor at Broome’. Letter to National Archives of Australia. Seriesno A1, Control Symbol Broome 25May Chronicle 1918. Nor’-West 1916. 22January Echo Labor White Australia advocates. Australia Labor White 1919.1919 and 6 February Uyeno to Atlee Hunt and Hunt to Japanese consul. 30 January Harada and Toyojuro Tsukano)[and otherdoctors]’. Letters. 1925/5576, Barcode 43700 ‘Japanese Doctor at Broome (Yoshido National Archives of Australia. Series no A1, Control Symbol Japanese Doctor. Times 20June 1914. Northern 1912. White diver’s death. Paralysis thecause. TheWestAustralian to Mahon. 18May 1912. Harada and Toyojuro Tsukano)[and other doctors]’. Letter. Blick 1925/5576, Barcode 43700 ‘Japanese Doctor at Broome (Yoshido National Archives of Australia. Series no A1, Control Symbol Japanese Doctor. Broome 22June Chronicle 1912. Broome Hospital. 1919/2649 Barcode 37418 Admission ofJapanese Nurse for National Archives of Australia. Series A1, Control symbol John of God, Broome, in exhibition Taiji, Japan), Personal communication, SistersofSt The historical relationship between Taiji and Broome (museum and December, Issue 6. of Broome, Kimberley Community Profile, 2013, October, Issue 5 Heroes in Faith-Sister Antonio, 1and 2. Parts CatholicDiocese December 1920. The Broome Riots, warship on the way. Western Argus 28 December 1920. Meeting ofcitizens. Somestrong resolutions. TheWestAustralian The Broome riots. A search for arms. Town strongly patrolled. Broome 20May Chronicle 1922. The WestAustralian Nor’-West 7September1912. Echo J R Coll Physicians Edinb 19May 1920. 24 January 1915.Times 24January Sunday 2015; 45: © 2015RCPE 156–64 15June 23