Statements by employees at Hadassah Hospital-Ein Kerem after Six-Day War

Dr. Jack Karpas speaks about plans for emergency as Six-day War approached. June 5 at 9:30 Monday morning - first phone call to expect incoming wounded. Beginning of stage of "Action", more than doubling number of beds to 1240. Karpas saw shelling nearby and from 11:30-12:00 shells fell in courtyard of hospital between medical school and hospital. Some splinters broke glass of Chagall windows in synagogue on hospital campus, causing minor damage. 90 casualties by evening. By next morning in a short amount of time, there were 200 patients and staff was strained. By the end of 4th day, over 900 casualties had passed through; 500 injured were admitted and 7 died. Surgical staff worked nonstop for 14 days and watched battles from the windows. The wounded were transported by helicopter; half of the staff had left for army service. At 12:52, Professor Nathan Saltz, Chief of Department of Surgery, discussed the wartime triage protocol, staffing, types of injuries, use of portable x-ray machine. At 20:17, Professor Myer Makin, Head of Department of Orthopedics, spoke about the types of injuries and treatment and effects of landmines. At 28:29, Mrs. Anna Eiges, Special Events Chairman, Hadassah Council in Israel discussed daily life in Jerusalem during the war, traveling, helping soldiers, supervising volunteers at Hadassah Medical Organization, traveling to Mt. Scopus after it became accessible. At 31:50, Professor I.C. Michaelson, head of Department of Ophthalmology, talks of injuries and treatments, schoolboys who volunteered to move patients between wards and surgery. Prisoners of war and the Arabic-speaking patients were also treated.At 44:33, Lucien Harris, Director of Information Services at Hadassah Medical Organization, commends colleagues around Jerusalem who offered help and came to volunteer, including many Americans, non-Israelis and non-Jews, and students. It was an enduring experience to see people from varied backgrounds working to help the functioning of the hospital during the war. There were nearly 2000 volunteers. The staff knew also that Hadassah in the United States was sending specific drugs and supplies by air freight, which gave those in Jerusalem more courage. Medical professionals from all over the world volunteered in surgery. Great expression of the brotherhood of the Jewish people and a token of the civilized world.Digital recordingdigitizedDigital finding aid