Abusive Doctor Caused Prison Riot

[Mulboyne]

AP: Japanese inmates claim prison doctor abused them, sparking riot
A doctor at a prison in southern Japan regularly abused inmates physically, sparking a riot last month in which several guards were injured, lawyers for the inmates said Tuesday. Lawyer Yuichi Kaido said at least 12 inmates at Tokushima Prison are preparing to file a criminal complaint against the doctor, and said the complaints underscore a wider problem of human rights abuses at Japanese prisons. "It's not just one doctor, but represents an underlying problem that medical treatment is considered part of disciplinary measures in Japanese prisons," Kaido said. "The doctor has a strong prejudice against inmates and thinks they deserve punishment"...In one case, a prisoner who developed dizziness was pinched on his inner thighs, had his ankle stepped on and was given a rectal check, causing an infection that required surgery at a private hospital, the lawyers said...more...

[Behan]

Was the doctor from Unit 731?

[amdg]

Serious question - do doctors in Japan take the Hippocratic Oath?

[Behan]

With just a real quick search I found:

'Finally, there is no tradition in Asia of reciting an oath at medical school graduations.'

From: http://www.minnesotamedicine.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=2239&tabid=2059 - 18k

I haven't read the whole article yet. This sounds like something that GBoothe might be able to answer. If he's not too busy celebrating his son's draft into pro baseball.

[Iraira]

AP: Japanese inmates claim prison doctor abused them, sparking riot
In one case, a prisoner who developed dizziness was pinched on his inner thighs, had his ankle stepped on and was given a rectal check, causing an infection that required surgery at a private hospital, the lawyers said...more...

What? Dr. Fister went in up to his elbow or something?

[amdg]

Thanks Behan - yeah I thought that might be the case, from some of the things I've heard.

[Greji]

Serious question - do doctors in Japan take the Hippocratic Oath?

Definately! Two parts of Hippocrat and one part of burbon, shook not stirred and must be downed before seeing each patient!

[amdg]

Definately! Two parts of Hippocrat and one part of burbon, shook not stirred and must be downed before seeing each patient!

Add a rectal exam and you've got a date big boy! ;p

[Greji]

[quote="amdg"]Add a rectal exam and you've got a date big boy! ]

Ahh, I love it when you talk sexy to me!

[amdg]

Just for anyone who's interested, yeah it seems the Hippocratic Oath fell out of wide-spread favour some time ago. Its modern equivalent seems to be the Declaration of Geneva as adopted by General Assembly of the World Medical Association in 1948.

Ironically, in addition to the above declaration, is the The Declaration of Tokyo, as follows.

(Adopted by the 29th World Medical Assembly, Tokyo, Japan, October 1975,
and editorially revised at the 170th Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2005 and
the 173rd Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006)

PREAMBLE
It is the privilege of the physician to practise medicine in the service of humanity, to preserve and restore bodily and mental health without distinction as to persons, to comfort and to ease the suffering of his or her patients. The utmost respect for human life is to be maintained even under threat, and no use made of any medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity.
For the purpose of this Declaration, torture is defined as the deliberate, systematic or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of any authority, to force another person to yield information, to make a confession, or for any other reason.

DECLARATION

1. The physician shall not countenance, condone or participate in the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures, whatever the offense of which the victim of such procedures is suspected, accused or guilty, and whatever the victim's beliefs or motives, and in all situations, including armed conflict and civil strife.

2. The physician shall not provide any premises, instruments, substances or knowledge to facilitate the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or to diminish the ability of the victim to resist such treatment.

3. When providing medical assistance to detainees or prisoners who are, or who could later be, under interrogation, physicians should be particularly careful to ensure the confidentiality of all personal medical information. A breach of the Geneva Conventions shall in any case be reported by the physician to relevant authorities.
The physician shall not use nor allow to be used, as far as he or she can, medical knowledge or skills, or health information specific to individuals, to facilitate or otherwise aid any interrogation, legal or illegal, of those individuals.

4. The physician shall not be present during any procedure during which torture or any other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is used or threatened.

5. A physician must have complete clinical independence in deciding upon the care of a person for whom he or she is medically responsible. The physician's fundamental role is to alleviate the distress of his or her fellow human beings, and no motive, whether personal, collective or political, shall prevail against this higher purpose.

6. Where a prisoner refuses nourishment and is considered by the physician as capable of forming an unimpaired and rational judgment concerning the consequences of such a voluntary refusal of nourishment, he or she shall not be fed artificially. The decision as to the capacity of the prisoner to form such a judgment should be confirmed by at least one other independent physician. The consequences of the refusal of nourishment shall be explained by the physician to the prisoner.

7. The World Medical Association will support, and should encourage the international community, the National Medical Associations and fellow physicians to support, the physician and his or her family in the face of threats or reprisals resulting from a refusal to condone the use of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.