Captain Jacob Markowitz – RAMC
– Indian Medical Service
Markowitz was born 1901 Husi and lived most of younger years in Bucharest, Romania. He attended Jarvis Collegiate and later attended the University of Toronto, where he obtained his medical degree and a doctorate in 1926 in Physiology. He was appointed Assistant Professor in Physiology at Glasgow University 1926-27. and later Professor of Physiology at Georgetown University, USA 1930-1932. Markowitz became an expert in the field of intricate organ surgery, and the first person in the world to transplant the heart of one warmblooded animal into another in 1932. His knowledge, expertise and skill would help him save hundreds of POW lives.
In 1941, Jacob Markowitz went to England, where he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a captain. Sent to Singapore he supported the Indian Medical Services and was posted to 5 Casualty Clearing Station during the fighting in Malaya. He was taken POW of Japan when the surrender occurred 15 February 1942. He was moved into the British Barracks.
On the Burma-Thai Railway Markowitz was highly regarded. He stood out as being highly intelligent and astute, was always optimistic, sharp and bright and as a Professor of Physiology stood out academically. During his time at Chungkai and Nakom Pathom Markowitz performed over 1,000 operations (including more than 100 amputations of the thigh for tropical ulcers) and 3,800 transfusions (25 on one Australian patient).
He relied on dedicated assistants improvise and make medical instruments and transfusion units, etc. He developed the transfusion of defibrinated blood at these two camps in Thailand.
He amputated 2/3rd’s Syd Howard’s leg
Markowitz was highly regarded. He stood out as being highly intelligent and astute, was always optimistic, sharp and bright and as a Professor of Physiology stood out academically. During his time at Chungkai and Nakom Pathom Markowitz performed over 1,000 operations (including more than 100 amputations of the thigh for tropical ulcers) and 3,800 transfusions (25 on one Australian patient).
He relied on his three medical assistants to improvise and make medical instruments and transfusion units, etc. He developed the transfusion of defibrinated blood at these two camps in Thailand.
Above: Markowitz with his backs toward the artist undertaking an amputation.
Markowitz said after the war:
“The Japanese guards fed sick prisoners pig-feed but even pigs could not live on it. It is because of starvation chiefly that to have been a prisoner of war of the Japanese army in 1942-43 involved, actuarially speaking, a greater risk than [that] faced by a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain or by an army of Canadians bravely fighting their way through Holland.”
After the war Dr. Markowitz was awarded one the highest of British military honours: the Order of the British Empire. The citation read:
“As joint originator and supervisor of a fully successful transfusion service in prisoner of war camps in Siam using the most primitive and improvised apparatus, Captain Markowitz has shown skill and ability of an outstanding degree. His training of transfusion teams, his development of simple techniques for jungle surgery and his ingenious methods of improvisation saved many hundreds of lives. He has shown great disregard for personal danger and risk of brutality in order to serve his patients.”
