Digital photograph of a packet of Japanese charcoal from World War II, and a lid (only) from a Japanese medical kit, labelled Marucho Drugbok. The items have been placed on a gray counter.
ca. 1939-1945
A packet of Japanese charcoal from World War II, donated by Col. Richard S. Fixott, M.D., in January 1946. The printed packet, measuring 16 x 10 x 2 cm, has text in both Japanese and English. The English label for the product: Ashes for Pocket Brazier. Ashes here refers to the use of various plant ashes in the charcoal itself. The large package contains nine smaller rolls of wrapped charcoal sticks. Reportedly, powdered charcoal like this was used to treat malarial diarrhea at Wuhan University in Hankow, China, which the Japanese had converted to a 6,000-bed hospital. The packaged charcoal was meant to be put into a heating device, called a kairo. The Chinese characters on the package are old pre-war forms. Also included with this accession was the lid only from a Japanese medical kit, labelled Marucho Drugbok. The items are in good condition. Thanks to Joseph Cronin for contributing information about this piece.
Medical Museum Collection, Box 34