731部隊に所属した医者・高橋正彦と金子順一が戦後それぞれ慶應大学, 東京大学に提出した医学博士論文を基礎にして, 同部隊のペスト班責任者・高橋のもとで人体実験を行なって研究・開発されたペスト感染蚤が, 実際に1940-42年に中国十数地域で散布され, 多数の死者を出した実態を明らかにし, さらに戦後, 731部隊・細菌戦に関連する資料が部隊幹部・医者の戦犯免責と引き換えにアメリカに提供され, 高橋らが詳細な英文の報告書作成に協力した事実を明らかにする。そして, 戦後日本の大学医学部が731部隊関係者に医学博士号を授与したことに象徴されるように, 日本の医学界が731部隊への医者の関わりについて何ら自己批判せずに今日まできているその在りかたを問う。
Based on the doctoral dissertation in medicine submitted to Keio University by Masahiko Takahashi and the University of Tokyo by Jun-ichi Kaneko, respectively (both former medical doctors of Unit 731), this study confirms the facts surrounding the development and research of plague infected fleas performed through human experimentation under the responsibility of Takahashi, the person in charge of the plague squad, and the actual scattering of the plague infected fleas (PX) in more than ten regions in China during the 1940–1942 period, resulting in a large number of deaths.
In addition, this study confirms the cooperation by Takahashi in the preparation of a detailed report in English provided to the U.S. after the war of material related to germ welfare and Unit 731, in exchange for war trials immunity to Unit officers and doctors.
Moreover, this study questions the very fact that the Japanese medical community can remain free from self-criticism up to now regarding the involvement of doctors with Unit 731 symbolized by the department of medicine at universities in post-war Japan that awarded doctor's degree in medicine to those involved in Unit 731.

小特集 : 澤瀉久敬『医学概論』とその歴史的コンテクスト