Terrific headache. Meat roll – lovely lot.
Barbara Anslow's diary: View pages
Primary tabs
Head better but pain in chest - was only mildly thrilled at MEAT PIE. Nasty taste in mouth.
Feeling bad. Dr Kirk examined me. OK except for digestion, and slow pulse (40). Says I should have a good rest. But Mum is very sick.
Mum very poorly - chill etc.
Mum still ill. Dr came and she had her bread rusked. ((One kitchen on ground floor in Married Quarters was a sort of Diet Kitchen & Baby Clinic, where bread was rusked mainly for babies and toddlers.))
I'm still very tired and can't taste food, not even meat cake.
Mum still weak and in bed. Mrs Kopeczky suddenly taken to hospital.
Feeling rotten, and Mum still staying in bed.
Over the past weeks food has got much better. Rumour that we would be sent to Shanghai, but the latest is that consuls and journalists are to go, and that is apparently true. A strong feeling in the camp that the troops have been sent to Formosa. If so, we think the actual implication is good i.e., that the Japs don't expect to hold here.
Feel so tired and weary, keep sighing. Dr Kirk said it is only the diet effects and recommends I take a week's rest. Just now I don't care if I never work at the hospital again. Olive has joined the staff as an extra steno, so that Dorothy and I can have more time off. ((There was of course no pay for any hospital or other work, except that heavy workers got extra rations, and some workers also got some extra food. For Olive and I, it was enough that we were on hospital rations which at that time were so much more varied and interesting than in Married Quarters and other blocks.))
Married Q. rations again ((because on sick leave and not working at hospital)).
Easter Sunday - Mass in open. Mum a little better. The dam kids had eggs. ((Eggs (NOT Easter Eggs!) were sent into camp, but given only to the children - two or three each.)) We grownups furious.
Mum and I both feeling better. Was able to get milk for Mum from Baby Clinic. ((A small number of little bottles of fresh milk were went in daily byJaps for children, and a few for the most needy cases in hospital.))
We had fun turning out suitcases ((and enjoying holding Olive's trousseau - lovely silk underwear - which our amah had taken to her in the Chinese hotel.))
Wet and cold.
Actually full up tonight, had 1 and a half pasties, and a piece of Mrs Knox's blancmange (She a neighbour in our block.) Mrs K back from hospital. My eyes bad.
Went to see Dr Kirk again, he said take things easy, so I decided I would take a longer holiday, which would mean less queuing for Mum who has gone down so much and isn't at all strong yet.
Some Police escaped from camp last night. Lots of good news about - re American planes over Kowloon Dock; Hainan recaptured. I'm very tired again.
SUMMARY OF RECENT DAYS
Mrs G was in hospital and since her return she's been very sweet and kind to us, particularly in bringing extra soup for Mum (Mrs G worked in the kitchen), and for Mrs. K too who has just come back from hospital.
During the past fortnight a kind of diarrhoea and dysentery has swept through the camp, the hospital has had to discharge patients on stretchers.
There is enough porridge left for one more meal.
On 20th March we learned that some people had escaped from the camp - along them Elsie Cholmondeley - the girl in National Stabilization Board of China where I might have had a job; also Van Ess, and others. Since then Roll Calls twice daily have been instituted.
I don't think there's much chance of Mabel coming in from Bowen Road Hosp.
Mum has lost 27 lbs, she's only 161 lbs.
More flour is coming in (but less bread), and sweet potatoes have been coming in regularly for the past fortnight.
Rumours too good to be true: Russians round Danzig; Germans and Japan have not much longer to go; various buildings in town have been sabotaged.
Selwyn-Clarke came in, and money for my glasses money went ((via him into town for new frames))
Still weakish. Mum better. Dorothy Deakin and Eric Kennard getting married on 1st May.
Newspaper says we are to have $100 each. Now I don't return to (work at) hospital till Monday.
Good extra soup tonight.
Very little to eat. Enjoyed fried rice and sugar in evening. No pasty.
Less to eat than ever: cooking (Married Q) dreadful; more kitchen squabbles there . Everyone fed up and starving. One foot seems going to sleep. Wet and blowy.
Back at hospital office again. Good: feel tiredish but more energetic and ate quite an amount of rice, as also did Mum.
Jack Fancey died early this morning. ((He had spent his last days, cheerfully, on a bed near the verandah on first floor ward of the hospital, overlooking the sea.))
