Original subtitles

Nippon Herald Films, Inc.

The Sea and Poison Production Committee

THE SEA AND POISON

Production by Keiichiro TAKISHIMA

Original Novel by Shusaku ENDO

Produced by Kanou OTSUKA, Takashi MIYAGAWA

Cinematography by Masao TOCHIZAWA

Lighting by Yasuo IWAKI

Art Direction by Takeo KIMURA

Music by Teizo MATSUMURA

Editing by Osamu INOUE

CAST

Eiji OKUDA

Ken WATANABE

Kyoko KISHIDA

Toshie NEGISHI

Mikio NARITA, Ken NISHIDA

Masumi OKADA

Shigeru KOYAMA, Yu KUSANO Yumi KUROKI

Noriko SENGOKU, Kazunaga TSUJI Masane TSUKAYAMA

Takahiro TAMURA

Written and Directed by Kei KUMAI

Let's

pick up where we left off yesterday.

Give us details.

Yes.

Back then,

around May 1945,

what did you do at the University every day?

In Med School,

as an intern at First Surgery

waiting for immediate service

I spent my days

between wards and labs...

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

What time is the Old Man's round changed to?

Half past three.

Conference as usual?

We're out of carbol-fuschin.

Whose sputum is that?

Obahan (the old lady)'s.

What?

Are you still... ?

Why don't you give up on it?

Always going to extra trouble for that welfare case.

It doesn't take any trouble.

She's a dead duck anyway.

It's just a waste of carbol.

She might have a chance to survive.

No way.

Cut that sentimentality.

Do something for one and so what?

This place is filled with patients who don't have a chance.

Why this fascination with her?

I'm not fascinated with her.

She reminds you of your mother?

Not at all.

I see her as my very first patient.

I...

don't like seeing her there

every morning in that ward, with that yellowed hair she has.

You're a real softy.

You sound like student nurses.

Such compassion

in a time like this

is not only of no use

for a doctor, but is

harmful!

Today, everybody's on the way out.

Those who don't die in hospital

would die in an air raid on any night.

What's the point of pitying one old lady.

You'd be doing better

to think of a new way of curing TB!

The conference's over.

I wish it turned out okay.

Otherwise,

the Old Man will take it out on us.

What a sordid world.

How come everybody wants to be Dean of Medicine?

Dr. Gondo.

What time do we expect you back?

I have no idea.

Army Commander wants to see me as well.

Best of luck, sir.

'Everybody wants to be Dean of Medicine.'

What do you mean by that?

A month before that,

the Dean of Medicine, Dr. Osugi, had a stroke.

Doctors held daily conferences

regarding this vacant chair of Dean.

However,

Dr. Hashimoto of First Surgery

being the logical choice to succeed to the post

in terms of experience within the hospital,

things have suddenly changed,

and Dr. Gondo of Second Surgery became the prime candidate.

The Gondo faction started to associate

with the Western Command for foothold.

What do you mean

by 'foothold' ?

Rumor has it,

Dr. Gondo promised

the Western Command that

he would take care of their wounded soldiers

if he became Dean of Medicine.

And so

Dr. Hashimoto became anxious, right?

Yes.

How was the conference?

Don't ask me.

By the way,

I'm still waiting for the report on Toki Maebashi's stomach fluid.

What if the Old Man asks for it today?

Thank you for coming, sir.

Please.

Turn your back.

The rash is the same, but

pus is coming out of the ear.

Fever?

Gone up above 100 since the pain in the ear started.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

It's nothing.

No way.

Doctor,

will I be all right?

Don't worry, old lady.

We'll give you some pain killer.

That's good enough.

No patient in crisis, is there?

You're tired, sir. Let's call it a day. Then...

Suguro-kun's been checking a patient.

Who?

The welfare case over there.

Actually, we've already had her consent.

Since she's dying soon,

how about an experiment?

A good opportunity.

Two diseased areas in the left,

and an area of permeation in the right lung.

Perfect for an experimental operation on both lungs.

Dr. Shibata said he would certainly like to give it a try.

Yes.

So,

I'll have Suguro-kun do preliminary exams.

After that it's for you to decide, sir.

Okay with you, Suguro-kun?

Yes.

Obahan.

Why did you agree to the operation?

Well...

Dr. Shibata,

he said that

it had to be done.

Otherwise,

there's nothing else to do.

Doctor...

Is this operation

going to

cure me?

- Bring her to me for examination. - Yes.

Her heart is getting weaker.

An operation might not be advisable.

I know it wouldn't be advisable.

We've only had two of such

operation on both lungs in our hospital.

Well, there's a 95% chance

that we would kill her.

Then instead of inflicting pain on the patient through operation

can we wait for her

cardiopulmonary function to recover

and reconsider operation?

Can't you see that

she is too debilitated and will eventually die within a half year?

She won't make it, with or without operation.

No need for you to worry about it.

I'm going to be the one with the knife.

Anyway, that woman

is only a welfare patient.

Suguro-kun's concerned

because he's in charge of her.

I used to be the same way myself.

Suguro-kun.

Sir.

What I would like to try with that welfare patient

is not the usual Schmidt technique.

Have you read Coriro's thesis?

Uh...

It'll be a variation of his method.

Have a listen.

First,

make a wide incision below the upper rib.

Then cut the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st ribs.

This is Coriro's method.

My version will...

My steth...

My steth...

Where the hell is my stethoscope?

Hey, let me use yours.

What for?

One more patient for operation.

Dr. Asai and I are in charge of the examination.

You know who?

No idea.

Mrs. Tabe in the private room upstairs.

A relative of the late Dean, Dr. Osugi.

That lady.

Out of the way.

Looks good.

Where's your husband now?

In Taiwan.

I received a letter from him last month.

Doctor, how would you

describe

my condition?

You have a short history of this illness.

A small cavity and some infiltrate in the right upper lobe.

But

pneumothorax therapy is impossible due to pleural adhesion.

You will be fine.

I will operate on you and cure you.

I'm only happy

to be able to show my gratitude to Dr. Osugi.

It was originally scheduled for fall,

but was suddenly moved forward. - That's the point.

The Old Man's often out of focus when doing his rounds these days.

I have an idea

that this operation has something to do

with him getting the Dean's chair.

- Election of Dean? - Yeah.

He has to gain a lot of credit from

a successful operation on that woman.

See?

The election for the Dean's in August.

The patient's a relative of the Osugis.

The disease is limited to the

right upper lobe, and she's still young.

Instead of

waiting until fall, do it this month

so by August the stage will be well set.

In this way,

doctors from Internal Medicine in the

Osugi faction will be in his favor.

The Second Surgery and Dr. Gondo

can be overpowered before election.

That's the story.

I don't get it.

Get what?

Obahan's a lab rat,

and Mrs. Tabe's a career opportunity.

Of course they are.

What's wrong with that?

Besides,

why are you so attached to that Obahan?

What's so bad about it?

I don't know how to put it...

Doctors killing their patients isn't so solemn a matter.

It's nothing new in the world of medicine.

That's how we've made our progress.

And...

now people are dying in the air raids,

so nobody thinks twice about it.

Rather than have your Obahan die in an air raid,

why not kill her at the hospital, there'd be some meaning in that.

What kind of meaning?

Why it's obvious!

If she dies in an air raid,

her bones will be just thrown into the Naka River.

But if she

gets killed during an operation, she'd

be a human sacrifice for medicine.

To think that

she'll help countless TB victims

to be cured in the future...

she will not die in vain.

You've got a tough mind.

Sweetness and sentimentality are forbidden luxuries for a doctor.

Doctors aren't saints.

They want success. They want to be full professors.

And when they want to try out new technologies,

they can't limit their experiments to monkeys and dogs.

This is the world.

You ought to take a closer look at it.

I can get the picture too.

I can, but...

I can't be like that myself.

Sometimes I looked out at the sea, here from the roof.

Then things like the war,

the hospital ward,

and daily hunger

seemed to fade a little bit.

The changing colors of the sea

gave rise to a variety of daydreams.

Something ordinary, like

going to a small town somewhere

once the war was over,

and have a little hospital,

making house calls for patients in my neighborhood.

Then I will be able to

take care of my parents

back home.

On a day the sea is sparkling blue

I find, strangely enough, this poem on my mind:

'When the clouds like sheep pass'

'When the clouds swirl like steam'

'Sky, your scattering is'

'white'

'White like streams of cotton.'

'Sky, your scattering is'

'white'

'White like streams of cotton.'

Next Friday morning,

the Old Man himself will

operate on Mrs. Tabe.

Then a week later,

I'll operate on the welfare case

whom Suguro-kun's been charge of.

You two are to take part

in both operations

as assistants.

All right?

Doctor,

is everything all right

about my daughter's operation?

No worries.

It'll be done while she is sleeping under anesthesia.

I've heard

there'll be pain after surgery.

The night after there'll be a certain amount of discomfort.

And you may feel thristy.

But it'll be a matter of 2 or 3 days.

But as for any danger...?

What an opinion you must have

of Dr. Hashimoto's skill and all our efforts.

Even we will be able to do it and succeed.

You'll be out by fall.

Then, take a rest in countryside for a few months,

and you'll return to health by the end of the year.

Thank you.

Be brave now.

Mother's here with you.

Your sister will soon be here too.

The operation will be over before you know it.

Doctor will

take care of everything.

Dr. Hashimoto will.

Anesthesia?

Depth is enough.

- Sterilizer forceps. - Yes.

All set?

Yes.

All right.

Let's begin.

Scalpel.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Suture.

Scissors.

Here.

Doctor.

126 over 70.

Yes.

- Retractor. - Yes.

Hold firmly.

Hooklet.

- Raspatory. - Here.

Transfusion?

It's ready.

Blood pressure?

Normal.

Gauze.

Rib-grasping forceps.

120 over 68.

Gauze.

- Kidney dish. - Yes.

Gauze.

- Rongeur. - Yes.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Kidney dish.

- Pulse? - 100.

Under tension.

Blood pressure?

Normal.

Now to the first rib.

The most critical point

in thoracoplasty had come.

Pull harder.

Yes.

Gauze.

Kidney dish.

I noticed that her blood had darkened.

Any abnormality?

Blood pressure...

Blood pressure's down.

It's bleeding.

- Gauze! - Yes.

- Gauze! - Yes.

- Gauze! - Yes.

- Gauze! - Yes.

- Gauze! - Yes.

- Gauze! - Yes.

Suction!

- Suction! - Yes!

- Suction, suction! - Yes.

- Hemostat! - Yes.

Transfusion!

Yes!

- Quick! - Yes!

Come on, come on!

Mask... mask!

Oxygen!

Gauze.

Hemostat.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Gauze.

There's sweat in my eyes!

Gauze!

Gauze.

- Doctor... - Come on, quick!

Gauze!

Gauze.

Hurry up, quick!

- Hold firmly! - Yes.

I'm sorry.

Come on! Hold it!

I am!

Gauze.

Pull!

Pull harder!

Come on!

Gauze.

Gauze!

Hemoptysis!

It's hemoptysis!

Hemoptysis!

Scrape it out.

Quick, scrape it out.

Forceps?

Mask, mask!

Quick with the mask!

The mask!

Oxygen, oxygen.

Oxygen!

Blood pressure?

Blood pressure?

It's down... 70.

Pull harder!

Gauze. Hemostat.

No! Hemostat!

Hemostat!

Gauze.

60.

50.

Pulse...

none at all.

She's dead.

Operating room.

Yes.

Dr. Asai, it's for you.

This is Asai.

What is it?

I'm busy here, okay? Got no time for that!

Anyway she's past help.

Inject her with 2cc opium.

Do what you can.

Doctor.

Dr. Hashimoto.

We have to put thing in order.

Put things in order...?

Yes.

Of course, yes...

Here.

Let's wipe the body with alcohol and close the incisions.

Wrap it thoroughly with gauze and bandages.

Listen.

Take the patient's body

back to her room.

Not one word to the family about the operation.

Once in the room, put her on a drip.

And everything else, as after any operation.

The patient's not dead.

She will die tomorrow morning at 6 am.

Doctor.

The operation was a success.

But tonight will be a difficult one.

Just to be on the safe side,

we've got to forbid visitors for two days.

Does that include us?

I'm sorry but it does, according to the hospital's rules.

Today,

chief nurse and I will

spend the night by her bed.

So

don't worry.

Then please take good care of her.

You.

Hey you.

Keep a look out here and make sure everything stays hushed up.

(... Mr. Saito at bed no. 5,)

(no serious effects are reported.)

(Bed no.6...)

(... last night around 11:20 pm)

(vomited about 100cc blood)

(so was injected with...)

(due to persistence of cough...)

What a comedy.

I mean really...

It was a real comedy.

Comedy?

Sure.

He has it all worked out.

If a patient dies during operation, it'd be the Old Man's responsibility.

But...

if she dies after the operation,

it's not the fault of the man with the knife.

You can make out a case for him at election time.

I beg you please, let me see her

just for a moment....

I'm sorry, it's against the rules.

Will she be all right?

We have no choice then.

Is this what it means to be a doctor?

Is this the nature of medicine?

But...

my thoughts turned sluggish,

and knew that thinking would lead me nowhere.

Any day now I would be called up for my term of service.

I had this feeling that nothing mattered.

By then,

US Army had taken over all of Okinawa.

Obahan.

How are you doing?

Right where you are.

Here.

Medical dextrose.

Is it good?

It's good.

Fifty

six

aeons,

seven

thousands

eras is...

the age

of

Bodhisattva

Nikin.

Buddhist chant?

Oh no.

It's a prayer written by

the Holy Shinran.

This woman here

asked me

to read her something

from this holy book about Buddha.

She feels down at the mouth

about her operation lately.

She agreed to the operation

so she can see her boy again.

You have a child?

Yes...

a boy.

He went to Manchuria.

Doctor,

would you too please

write something for him?

(It is now a full-grown cedar forest)

(Like a child from a patriotic family)

(It is strong, tall and robust)

When is her operation?

(A big cedar tree, a big cedar tree)

(What will become of a big cedar tree?)

(A ship that carries our soldiers)

(A house where our)

(wounded soldiers rest)

(Bookshelves, desks and clogs)

(Chopsticks to eat our delicious bento)

(Pencils and pen cases and other things)

(What a joy it is to be able to serve)

(To be able to serve our people)

(Let's work as hard as the cedar tree)

(Bereaved children of brave soldiers)

"VICTORY"

As a matter of fact...

Have a seat.

About the operation on your patient...

We'll postpone for a few months.

Postponed?

Yes.

If we follow the Old Man and have a second death during operation,

the reputation of First Surgery will be shot to pieces.

Those on the faculty of Internal Medicine are

all criticizing First Surgery for

disregarding their opinion and hurrying the operation.

The Second Surgery must be

greatly pleased at heart.

Well, at any rate,

all hope of their recommending

the Old Man for election as Dean

seems to have died.

Evacuate!

Evacuate!

Hurry!

Evacuate!

21st Squad!

Everybody in position!

21st Squad! All in position!

Target,

the enemy aircraft ahead!

Evacuate!

Hurry up!

Evacuate!

Hurry up!

Hey, are you all right?

Sit up! Hold it there, let's go!

Obahan!

Obahan?

(Namu Amida Buddha...)

Obahan, on your feet!

On your feet! Come on quick!

Aliens are aboard those planes.

They have blue eyes

and red hair

with pointed nose like goblins.

They have these horrifyingly accurate bombs and take aim...

Both Japan and...

this First Surgery are...

in shambles.

Yeah...

So be it!

You'll be off soon

as a medical cadet

and be done with this place!

So be it, huh?

Me,

I don't care what happens.

But you,

why haven't you asked to be called up?

Who?

Me?

Yeah.

To hell with that.

If you don't do it,

you'll be a private.

I'll see what comes.

Dying a private's as good as any other way.

Why is that?

Now,

it all comes out the same no matter what you do.

Today everybody's on the way out.

What's that sound?

- The sound of collapsing buildings? - Oh, no.

It's like...

the sound of people groaning.

Is that the voices of those dying from the raid?

Doctor Suguro.

Just now,

Mrs. Kuwabara passed away.

Obahan,

I'll join you soon.

Let's get back inside.

Let's get back inside.

I wonder

where they're going to bury Obahan?

Don't ask me.

So with that, your illusion passes.

Every attachment is an illusion.

Now for the first time

I felt I understood

why I had been attached

to that old woman for such a long time.

She was the one thing

in the midst of Toda's pessimistic

"everybody's on the way out"

that I was going to make sure didn't die.

Yes.

Toda, your research topic is

cavity induction treatment.

Yes.

How's it going?

Nowadays it's hard to get anything done.

Any new documents on that?

Um...

Suguro-kun.

It looks like I lost out.

Lost out?

That ward patient died before I could get to her.

I was going to try that new method.

Feeling like letting your prey get away?

Oh no, it's like having lost at love.

Isn't it, doctor?

Well,

actually,

we've talked with Dr. Hashimoto

whether of not we would have you two participate.

This is in fact

a very rare opportunity.

Besides,

Dr. Gondo and his Second Surgery have gained the upper hand lately.

On this occasion,

we'd join up with the Western Command

and work with medical officers.

I mean...

there's no need to refuse

their friendly proposal and

hurt their feelings.

Anyway,

if you don't feel like doing it,

we won't force you.

Is that an operation

that you want us to participate?

No forcing.

But even if you refuse,

you'll have to keep your mouths shut about it.

What is it then?

We'll perform vivisections

on eight American prisoners.

See?

Will you participate?

Yes.

Are these eight prisoners

B29 airmen?

Yes.

They're responsible

for the random bombing the other day

and for as many as

a dozen others throughout Japan.

They've confessed.

Random bombing is

in breach of international law

and is regarded as felony

under special wartime measures.

The Imperial Headquarters has

ordered the Western Command to send the capitain who has information

to Tokyo and

dispose of the others accordingly.

There's nothing to worry about.

And as a medical scholar,

this is, in a sense

the best of dreams to come true.

How's it going?

Have you made up your mind?

How about you, Suguro-kun?

You're free to choose.

I mean it.

Western Command sentenced them to be shot to death.

They'll die anyway, so who cares how?

Here they'll get ether

and die in their sleep.

How's that?

Hey you.

Why would you take it so seriously?

You should be eager to participate as a medical student during wartime.

What is there to hold you back?

Farewell.

And you accepted it, just like that?

You could have given them a clear no.

But at the time...

At the time,

the Western Command's word was law.

That's part of it, but...

The prisoners

were B-29 airmen who

bombed the city

and you had a profound

hatred against them.

So that's how it was?

No, it wasn't.

It wasn't?

It wasn't?

No.

Back then,

I never had any interest

in those prisoners

whatsoever, let alone hatred.

That can't be possible, you liar!

It's true!

Then why did you accept?

I was...

extremely hesitant about it.

But

at that time

I was truly exhausted

both mentally and physically.

I just

couldn't

think any harder.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Thinking didn't

help anything.

It was way beyond

the capability of one man.

That's how I persuaded myself.

Are you certain about that?

Yes.

At first,

Dr. Hashimoto was

for me, nothing more than

a professional doctor.

I had no personal interest in him.

To me, as it is

to any other nurses,

professors and assistant professors

are great men

who are not only

superior to us in rank but

also in birth,

living in a different world.

And so

the one thing that tied me up

with Dr. Hashimoto was

ironically enough,

his wife,

Hilda-san.

How are you doing today?

Here are some biscuits I've made.

Please eat them.

She came regularly to the hospital

three times a month.

Today, I came to do some laundry for you.

You,

you got some?

No, I don't have any.

No, please.

Haven't got any.

I don't have any, no I don't.

I don't.

You.

I'm sorry.

Children are susceptible to TB, you know?

I always disinfect my hands

before leaving the hospital.

I am...

asking you to tell me the reason

why you've agreed to take part in the vivisection.

What does Hilda-san

have to do with your decision?

It has to do with a few things...

Was there a conflict between you two

in a professional situation?

I can...

never forget what happened that day.

Nurse, please.

What's the matter?

Mrs. Maebashi is suffering, quick!

Please call Dr. Asai for her.

Hello?

This is First Surgery.

May I talk with Dr. Asai?

Then put me through to OR.

It's urgent.

Dr. Asai, it's for you.

This is Asai.

What is it?

I'm busy here, okay? Got no time for that!

But she's

suffering from

spontaneous pneumothorax.

Anyway she's past help.

Inject her with 2cc opium.

Opium?

2cc?

Do what you can.

Hurry up, nurse!

Hurry!

Hurry!

What is it you have there?

O... opium.

That much?

Quick, the equipment and the doctor.

Why did you try to inject that much opium?

Did you want to kill her?

I had been a nurse myself,

so I know what that means.

But...

anyway,

that patient was going to die anytime soon.

Can't you help a person

by letting them die easier?

Even though a person is going to die,

no one has the right to kill that person.

Aren't you afraid of God?

Don't you

believe in

God's punishment?

Who are you?

Doctor,

how was the operation?

Oh,

it's just you.

The operation?

We killed her!

The family doesn't know a thing yet.

The Old Man just doesn't have it anymore!

Oh great.

When the election comes off,

Dr. Gondo will beat him hollow!

It seems that...

there goes my success in career too!

Where do you live?

So...

you've been to Dairen?

I came back just a month ago

all alone.

Your husband?

He left me for a female clerk with Manchurian Railways.

Although he begged me to marry him

he ended up dumping me.

That's a terrible story.

He took you away to Manchuria and dumped you. Awful.

But then...

if only I could have a child...

my life

would have been a bit nicer.

What happened with the child?

For some...

reason or other,

the baby had died inside me.

And what's more...

What's more?

in order to save my life,

they cut out my womb altogether.

He would have been 5

if he were alive now.

I wonder how she is in bed

with Dr. Hashimoto?

Who? Hilda?

She really gives, I'll bet.

Underneath the plaster saint business...

just take a look at her body.

Hey.

Why don't you try your luck with the Old Man?

That would really fix old Hilda.

What a thing for you to say.

Doctor, you've just been engaged to

Dr. Hashimoto's niece.

I called it off.

The Old Man's on the skids now.

The next morning...

What have you been up to with the ward patient?

The ward patient?

The one with spontaneous pneumothrax.

I got a call from Hilda-san.

She wants you to quit.

I just did what you said on the phone.

Me?

Did I say something?

I didn't say anything.

Should I

give notice?

Hey, nobody said you're fired.

But look,

when Frau Hilda comes to hospital it might be a bit awkward.

Take about a month off,

will you?

Leave it to me.

I'll fix everything up.

Okay?

Dr. Asai's responsible, too.

He telephoned

and tried to fire me.

I hated Hilda-san so much.

That woman

is ignorant about

how much trouble she's causing

to patients and nurses

by playing a saint.

Then one day,

a while after that incident...

I need to talk to you.

I've been fired.

No, it's something more serious.

To me there's nothing more serious

than getting fired.

As far as it goes...

I want you back at the hospital for some help.

Something that a woman like me can help out with?

If you want a nurse to kill patients, here I am.

What kind of help you need?

Operations on American prisoners.

How come you need my help for that?

The operations will kill them.

Dr. Hashimoto will do that?

Yeah.

We're having a hard time looking for nurses to help us.

That's why

you came to me, I see.

Don't take it like that.

This is for your country's sake.

They've all been condemned to death anyway.

It'll also do good for the advancement of medical science.

Will you do it for us?

Hey.

Will you?

Oh, please.

I'm asking you.

- Okay. - Good!

- Thank you. - But don't get me wrong.

I'm not doing it

for my country like you've said.

Nor for your medical researches.

I don't give a damn

if Japan won the war of lost it,

or if medical science advanced or not.

Then what for?

I wonder if Dr. Hashimoto

told Hilda about this matter.

It's no joke.

He never will.

You'll also keep quiet, understand?

What's funny?

Sure.

Doctor will never be able to share

this secret with Hilda the Saint.

You know what she said?

'Aren't you afraid of God?'

'Don't you believe in God's punishment?'

That's what she said

as she yelled at me.

Say.

Is a white person's skin

hard to cut?

Don't be silly!

This is

what we found

when we searched your room.

Do you confirm this to be your notebook?

Let me read this to you.

Listen up.

'It isn't just a matter of adultery with my cousin,

nor a matter of having a deficient sense of sin.'

'My callousness extends

to another area.'

'To put it bluntly I am apathetic

to other people's suffering,

their pain, as well as to their death.'

In my years as a medical student,

I have

watched many sick people

suffer and in many cases, die.

Sometimes

I witnessed patients being killed

during operation.

But I cannot

let myself agonize over

every one of such cases.

This morning

at ten past six

she passed away.

Yuko...

Yuko, why did this have to happen?

But why?

I wish I had....

Someone dies in a hospital room.

I put on a sympathetic face

in front of the family.

But once

out in the corridor

that spectacle passes out of my mind.

It seems that before I knew it

my life in the hospital

has worn down any sense of

sympathy or pity

that I might feel towards them.

'I do believe such attitude to be distasteful.'

'But that is

different from suffering because of them.'

Why did you

think of keeping such diary?

Because it's creepy.

What's creepy?

I've come to find that

my own spirit is creepy.

I don't quite follow you.

Well,

'creepy' might be an overstatement.

'Strange' would be closer.

'Strange.'

I still don't follow you.

Then,

let me ask you.

Haven' t you too seen

many people die in the battlefield?

Of course I have.

At such moment,

weren't you, just like me,

unmoved by their sufferings and deaths?

And then one day

doesn't there stir in you, too,

the thought that you're a bit 'strange'?

No,

that not only applies to soldiers,

but also to deaths of noncombattants like women and children.

To cut things short,

when atomic bombs hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki,

a mass of people were instantly killed.

You would have felt the same way

as I did, toward the death of others...

Don't you have a human conscience?

Because your conscience was numb

you participated to the vivisection.

No.

I've never considered myself as someone whose conscience is numb.

You've never considered yourself...

For me,

a remorse of conscience is

only a fear for

the eyes of others and the punishment of society.

Maybe it was sheer luck that

nothing I ever did

seemed to merit punishment or

bring down upon me the censure of society.

They've announced

the vivisection schedule on the day before.

First Surgery

would be in charge of Day One.

I'm

leaving now.

Yeah.

Good night.

Wait.

Hmm?

What?

Sit down.

You're such a fool.

You still have time to say no.

Yeah.

Won't you refuse?

Nah.

Does...

God exist?

God?

Yeah.

Well, let me give it a try.

Men...

can never get away from

things like fate

that make them lose themselves.

The one who can

liberate them, you can call God.

Well...

I don't know.

For myself,

it makes any difference whether

God exists or not.

But come to think of it.

Maybe Obahan

was some sort of God for you.

Yeah.

Take a living person

and kill him alive.

Having done this most fearful of deeds,

will I suffer for the rest of my life?

It's past two thirty.

Where are the prisoners?

Half an hour ago,

they were taken from the compound.

They'll be here any time now.

Today,

I'm thrilled to be able to take some valuable photos.

That's a nice camera.

You must be confident in your skills.

Well at least it's German made.

By the way,

what about Lieut. Komori's farewell party?

The vivisection will be over at five, so we made it five thirty.

Is the food ready?

Yes, sir.

In case of need,

we can always dine on American liver.

What do you say, Lieut. Komori?

Let's then give it a try

at dinner today?

You will?

The prisoners have just come.

Shibata, where's Shibata?

He'll be here soon.

No need for hurry.

Why not wait over there, gentlemen?

Please... please.

Please.

They had to come, that bunch!

These military men...

They'll get noticed by the patients

and worse raise suspicion among the prisoners.

They think

they were brought here to get a medical check-up

before being sent to the camp at Oita.

I want you two

to take care of anesthesia.

Yes.

The Old Man and Dr. Shibata?

I'll call them in once the anesthetic takes effect.

If everybody's here the prisoner would be alarmed.

Suguro-kun.

Hurry up!

Ueda-san. What are you doing here?

Dr. Hashimoto has

married Hilda-san while he was

studying in Germany, right?

You're in the know,

though you're new here.

I actually used to work here before.

When was that?

Five years ago.

Bring me another kettle.

This place has changed.

My former colleagues have

all been drafted and

gone to war as military nurses.

So what?

Nothing.

Who told you to...

come here today?

- Are you ready? - Yes.

Everybody.

Just think of it as a regular operation.

There.

Is everything ready here?

Bring one in please.

Doctor,

officers are asking if they can come in.

Not yet.

I'll let you know later.

Suguro-kun, get the anesthetic mask ready.

I...

can't.

Asai-san.

Please let me go.

I want to get out.

I'll do it, Asai-san.

Hold him!

First stage.

No reflex in the cornea.

That does it.

It worked wonderfully.

I'll go get the Old Man and Shibata-san.

Stop the ether for now.

Don't give him too much, we don't want him to die yet.

Oba-san, get the instruments ready.

Come here.

Come over here and help.

There's...

no way I can.

I should have...

refused before.

Stupid.

Listen to yourself.

You had plenty of time

to refuse since yesterday.

Now, having come this far,

you're already more than half way.

Half way?

What do you mean I'm more than half way?

We're...

in the same boat now.

No turning back.

Please.

Move a little further up, please.

I believe you officers are all

familiar with corpses.

Hey, you.

Can I take photos during the operation?

Of course, of course.

We're also having the Second Surgery taking a 8mm movie.

This is such a valuable experiment.

What's today?

Are you going to

cut here?

No, we won't remove the brain.

Tomorrow Dr. Gondo from Second Surgery

will experiment on another prisoner.

Then with you it's

just the lungs?

Yes.

For your reference, I'll explain briefly.

Today's experiment on the prisoner will be, to make it short,

to investigate to what degree

it is possible to cut away the lung in TB surgery.

That is,

how far

one may cut the lung without killing him.

This has been

a longstanding problem for both

the practice of medicine in wartime and TB treatment.

We intend to cut away

the entire right lung and the upper section of the left.

Meanwhile, we will examine

cardiac arrest and return of

heart beat by cardiac massage.

You'll do the heart too?

That would be interesting.

Look how peacefully he's sleeping.

Little does he know

he'll be done for in half an hour,

huh?

Are you ready?

Yes.

Depth is enough.

All right then.

Shall we start?

Good.

The vivisection is beginning at...

Eight past three.

Toda-kun.

Put that in the record.

Yes.

Scalpel.

Gauze.

Gauze.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Clamp.

Suture.

Gauze.

Suture.

Gauze.

Suture.

130 over 60.

Now I am being

filmed, too.

Yes.

Filmed while I kill a man.

Suture.

What I have

hoped for today was

a more lively fear,

a heartache, and

fierce remorse.

What's the matter

with me?

Rib retractor.

- Pull harder. - Yes.

Now to the

total removal of the right lung.

Silly bastards.

What silly bastards.

But...

who am I to say that?

What happened?

Secretion is flowing into his bronchial tubes.

Not a big deal.

Should we use cocaine?

No need!

He is...

no patient!

Incisions are sutured.

Reposition of the body.

Help us.

Transfusion.

Won't you help?

- Hold it. - Here?

Put your hand here.

Take the legs.

Ready?

One, two...

three! Good!

Good.

Are you ready?

Yes.

Let's start then.

Scalpel.

Gauze.

It's hot.

Rib shear.

Gauze.

Rib retractor.

Rib retractor!

Oh... here.

126 over 58.

Now we will

stop the heart for a while.

To stop it, we will apply pressure

to the upper part of the heart.

Take record of the down time.

Yes.

Cardiac arrest.

Five minutes.

Good.

Cardiac massage.

Gauze.

Kelly.

Doctor.

Stenosis.

Gauze.

Scissors.

As of now,

we are removing the upper left lung.

According to existing literature,

it is known that when half

of both lungs is removed,

the result is instant death.

Blood pressure dropping. 90.

70.

60.

Pulse, none at all.

He's dead.

So that's it.

What time is it?

It's four twenty-eight.

The operation began at eight past three, so

the time taken was 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Toda-kun.

Tomorrow's consultation will start at ten.

Please hand in your test charts by then.

Would you cut out the prisoner's liver?

For what?

Officer...

don't tell me you'll let your junior officers have a bite.

Do me a favor.

Would you bring this up to the conference room for me?

The military gentlemen are having a farewell party up there.

What's... this?

Medical Officer Tanaka's order.

It's the prisoner's liver.

What's the idea?

Maybe pickled in alcohol and make a good souvenir.

Not much to it, don't you think?

We've all got used to looking at corpses, but

sentimentality is never too far off.

Tomorrow morning at ten. Second Surgery and us.

Followed by another for us, after the ward rounds.

- I'll be in charge this time. OK? - Yes.

- Toda-kun. - Yes.

I've something to tell you.

Have you thought

about staying on here at the University?

- At the University? - Yes.

As an assistant.

That is, if you feel like it.

Well...

There are others better qualified than I.

- There's Suguro. - Not Suguro.

He's hopeless.

Today, just at the critical time, what was he on?

He was watching from the back.

He won't say anything, that fellow, I hope.

If anything should leak out...

Don't worry. He just wouldn't dare.

If that's so, I feel better.

Well, anyway,

think over what I said, will you?

Look...

The Old Man. He's already finished.

From now on,

I will work actively with the Western Command

to get First Surgery on its feet again.

So if you'd like to join in,

your recommendation as assistant will be a mere trifle.

Also, with regard to today's matter

from now on we're going to have to stick close together.

We're all in

just as deep.

(Blazing heat)

(melts the armor)

- Is Medical Officer Tanaka here? - He'll be here soon. What do you want?

- Something he ordered. - Thanks.

(Thousand miles of wasted hills and rivers)

What is it, Lieut. Ebara?

The prisoner's liver.

(Thank you for fighting, father)

Enjoy your meal.

(My husband was a brave man)

(Chilled to the bones, you stayed in a creek)

(Wet and cold, for three days)

We have just...

killed

a man.

Why?

Why is my heart so apathetic?

Don't I have any conscience?

Not just me, though.

Is everybody else

also like this?

To your left,

Ueda-san.

Oh...

shouldn't it go there

in the morgue?

Left.

I wonder why.

It doesn't matter why, do as I say.

Stop.

Chief Nurse.

About today.

Who asked you to come?

Did Dr. Asai?

As for myself,

it was Dr. Asai who told me all about it.

In fact, Dr. Asai, he...

dropped over my place

at night three days ago.

I was so surprised.

You know, Dr. Asai was

drunk and then

we...

That will do!

Go home now.

Is it all right

if we leave it here?

Who's coming to pick this trolley up?

Ueda-san.

A nurse only needs to do as instructed by the doctors.

You can... go home now.

It goes without saying,

don't speak...

about today to anyone.

If ever you should be loose mouthed...

If I'm loose mouthed...

what'll happen then?

There'll be a great deal of trouble for Dr. Hashimoto.

Can you understand that?

Wow.

So we nurses have to

sacrifice ourselves for the sake of these doctors, huh.

In my case,

unlike somebody else,

I didn't take part today

just because of Dr. Hashimoto.

(The red evening sun)

(Is setting over the sea)

(Where the ocean ends)

(Or is it the horizon)

(Another day, far away)

(On the Southern Ocean route)

Suguro, is that you?

What are you doing?

Doing nothing.

Tough day.

Today was really tough.

One more to go tomorrow.

What'll happen to us?

Nothing will.

As always.

Nothing's changed.

But...

about what happened today.

It doesn't bother you?

Bother me?

What do you mean, bother me?

What is there to be bothered about?

You're strong.

Today...

in the operating room,

I kept my eyes shut.

I don't know...

what to think...

even now.

What is it that gets you?

Killing that prisoner?

But

thanks to him

we'll now be better at curing thousands of TB patients.

That wasn't a killing.

We saved lives.

The conscience of man

seems to vary a great deal from man to man.

Still...

some day, we'll be punished.

Eh?

That's for sure.

We deserve...

to be punished.

What punishment?

Punishment of society?

If it's only of society, nothing will change.

Both you and I

happened to be here in this particular era,

and so we took part

in a vivisection performed on a prisoner.

If those people who are going to judge us

had been put in the same situation, they would have done the same.

So much for the...

punishment of society.

Is that it, then?

Things are just the same

with us as before?

At the Tokyo Tribunal of War Criminals,

twenty five medical personnel involved in the vivisections

were all convicted, with five sentenced to death by hanging.

However,

following the sudden shifts

in the international situation

such as the outbreak of Korean War,

all of them

were subsequently released.

FIN

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