The two-volume book "Operational Physicians" at a glance

War Medical Oral History; Untold Words and Seen Events

Seyedeh Pegah Rezazadeh
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2020-2-18

"Operational Physicians" is the title of a two-volume book published in this summer (2019) by Darkhuin Publishing in 1,000 copies at a price of 39 and 32 thousand Toman[1] respectively. This book, in simple words, narrates the oral history of relief and rescue in the eight-year war hospitals of Iran and Iraq by the language of two qualified physicians who are still practicing in their profession. The first volume of this book deals with the oral history of the salvation of soldiers and commanders of the sacred defense narrated by Alireza Mohajeri, and the second volume is the oral history narrated by Mohammad Ali Atari. The interview, edition and writing the whole book is done by Morteza Massah, who proceeds in a interesting and linear narration, and attract the reader to the end lines of volume two, by simple language an clear lexical circle. As a matter of fact, by reading the introduction of the first volume of book, the reader proceeds with the simple pen of text and seeks to become acquainted with the oral history of sacred defense, both at the front line and in the field hospitals, and this history had been made by two Isfahan physicians; of course one was born in Tabas but has spent more than four-fifths of his life in Isfahan; it should be noted and Kept in mind, that the history of sacred defense medicine is as valuable as  the bravery of our youth at the warfront when they took gun in hand and stand against the enemy. The author of the book "Operational Physicians", who has interviewing with both physicians for more than 40 hours in both volumes of the book, and made it clear initially and stated that "Writing the oral history of war is not just a quoting of bullets and tanks and description of enemy's fire." Massah writes that he has long been concerned with how a war-wounded person will be treated on the battlefield, recovering his health and returning to the battlefield, much earlier than one might imagine. Apart from the treatment, this important duty, in many cases, had been done by the effort of intelligence, cleverness, and the power of physicians to make instant and sharp decisions, that two of the elites are ready to answer the questions of the author.

In the introduction of the first volume, Mohajeri is introduced to readers. He becomes a medical student in 1966. He was from Isfahan and entered the military service in 1981 at the same time with his marriage celebration, was dispatched to Shahr-e Kord. We read that one year later, in 1982, he was admitted to the Ayatollah Sadoughi Hospital in Isfahan. Mohajeri had a relatively religious family and he described that his father went to the hajj (Mecca) at the same time, prayed and fasted, and on Friday brought family members to Friday prayers. The first three chapters of the book, entitled "Birth to Adolescence; Family Climate and the Schooling Area", "Youth - Home and School in the Second Pahlavi Age", "Collegiate-and Medical Entrance Examination", cover the linear narration of young physician's life, and the fourth chapter is entitled "Revolutionary; City and University in the midst of the Revolution" during the time when Mohajeri was studying in university. In this this chapter, Mohajeri mentions some immorality activities among students during the second Pahlavi era and mentions a girl who committed suicide at the same time at university. He points out in this chapter that Savak appeared in student clothes at the university, and checked the political climate of the university and first pages book; the king wished the student to pursue and focus on studying, and not to engage themselves in political issues. Mohajeri mentioned in this chapter that SAVAK made also problem with students wearing hijab who, although, didn’t do political work! Mohajeri became a general surgeon; chapters five and six are entitled "Marriage, Military and Constructive Jihad", and "Residency - the Beginning of Imposed War and the Birth of the First Child." Chapter seven, entitled "Being Worrier; operation Valfajr 8 and Breathtaking Adventure", describes the presence of Mohajeri in his first war operation, and states that "the creative and solvent idea of the Joint Staff of War Relief and Treatment was unrestrained by the volunteer medical teams in the war determines the volunteer worriers and groups in medical field and it was enough to reach a message to attend within 24 hours in Baneh’s[2] high mountain and Abadan's palmy area. We will read in second paragraph of this page:" "Dr. Alireza Mohajeri often informs and attends operations." Mohajeri is also present at the Fatah operation. On page 93, under chapter seven of book, He says that she had a medical bag and went to the hospital with a group of collegiate friends whenever someone called him. The narrator narrates the field hospital to the mortar shells and being injured by chemical bombs while to the wounded person was being treated, and his pleasure memories of eight years of sacred defense. In another part of book, he says that once someone showed me a hill and said that here was a hospital; I was surprised to find that there were no beds and no medical facilities. He explicitly said that he has no option in division, sometimes he was called in the middle of the night saying that go to Ahvaz and or other cities; I would go to find them, and sometimes one or two hours after the wounded persons were treated, I could come back. One of the divisions that caused him to be martyred, he said, was operation Valfajr 8. The physician of book mentions Darkhoin, and the night, that was rainy, and he walked on dust to reach the field hospital. In this chapter of the book, he discussed his first surgical experiences and the pressure on the nerves and minds of the young surgeon present. On page 95 of the book, it is noted that there have been numerous problems for an injured person. His spleen was ruptured and he had another problem, and it shows that how a skilful physician could handle the difficult surgeries and get out of surgical field was victorious. Page 95 of the book depicts the moment a bullet hits the roof of a field hospital, which is considerable to those interested in oral history of the war. Mohajeri are also familiar with all kinds of weapons and this is due to the war. In operation Valfajr, he was injured chemical bombs. Chapter Eight titled "The Surgical Assistant; operation Karbala 4 and Foot That Didn't Get in the Shoes", as the title suggests, tells the story of his presence in operation Karbala 4. Mohajeri, at Ali Ali Abi Talib Field Hospital, saves the lives of many young people of his homeland. The operation, which takes place in the heights of Sulaimaniyah, is the story of the worst operations of his sacred defense, because the operation was revealed; the number of wounded and martyrs were increased, This is the chapter in which he recounts the difficult medical moments when Tehrani, Isfahani, and Shirazi physicians, who often served as medical staff during the war, encountered. He says I was working in recovery unit. There were many times when I had to decide for myself what to do. In Chapter ten, the book points out that sometimes the injured persons were fine but his leg was cut off. Another injured with 40 pieces of quivers in his body were apparently in critical condition. If I didn't intervene, for example, the patient who seemed to be in a worse condition would be taken by helicopter, and another one who his leg had been cut off and was apparently healthy, would be stayed there. But I believed that, after for two hours, he, who was injured in hand would be worse than one who was injured by 40 pieces of quiver. I would persuade them to be rational and convinced very quickly which patient really had an emergency. But the ninth chapter in the book, "Comrade; The Martyr Hossein Kharrazi and the Operational Physicians," points out that they saved lives of hundreds of comrades in the country. Among the comrades of Iran, Haj Hussein Kharrazi, the commander of Imam Hussein's (AS) division, who did not complete his recovery period; he returned to the warfront and fought to and became martyrdom. Chapter ten, entitled "General Surgery, After War, Martyrs, Veterans, and Diplomacy" shows that he rushed to the aid of many veterans injured in spinal cord in the post-war era.

Chapter eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen with headlines "Family, Education and Recreation", "Salvation, Questions and Answers", "Wife and Senior Child; Father Still at War; Hard But pleasurable", "Individual and Cultural-Scientific View" are also part of first volume. In chapter twelve, you will find all sorts of pleasurable questions that we recommend them to readers.

The second volume of the book "Operational Physicians" quotes the oral history of medicine during the sacred defense of the long-time and old friend of Professor Majid Samii, i.e. Mohammad Reza Atari. Born in Tabas, he considers himself Isfahan and even has an Isfahan wife. Atari was born on August 19, 1956, an anesthesiologist, special care and pain specialist. He also spent a significant portion of his life and youth for the injured soldiers during the sacred defense of the southern and western fronts. In the first and second chapters, he explains that all nine children of their 11-member family worked in the dessert along with their parents to enjoy the most basic amenities. In a remarkable and beautiful part of the book, he says: "My sense of anesthesia is based on the divine verses of the Holy Quran. It is the sense of life and save of human, the sense of temporary death and revival. I believe that there is probably a connection between anesthesia and supernatural that I have often understood and believed. I had good experience of being sent to Abadan when I went to Taleghani Hospital for 13 days and saved many injured persons by anesthesia from an imminent death because of they were injured in heart, chest or neck. The first chapter entitled "Mr. Sensitive's Childhood and Elementary School" deals with the issue of slapping of teacher and later he became famous as "Mr. Sensitive" in class and school. The second and third chapters, "Adolescence and High School; A 65-Hour Record" and "Entrance examination and University; Idealist" deal with Atari's acceptance in national entrance examination when he took the newspaper in hand beside the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) and finds his name in the column of "Satisfied the Examiners." In the fourth chapter entitled "Marriage and Revolution - Wanted", Atari says that revolution and the political climate of the country made Atari paid 60 percent of his attention on politics and 40 percent of it. In this chapter, he mentioned that he and a group of his friends went hiking with announcements and books, meanwhile SAVAK arrested him, imprisoned and then released. He said SAVAK even was controlling our commerce to hired student room. Chapter five entitled "Relief and Earthquake; 6 Desert Honey Months" deals with the Tabas earthquake and the story of marriage of a young physician. Chapter six, entitled "Soldier and War: Hardworking and Strict", deals with Atari's military service when  he was sent to the impassable areas of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province and joined medical care activities of constructive jihadist 1978. Chapter seven is entitled "Operational Physician and Hossein Kharrazi - Just a Jall", points out that Atari is a physician observing the recovery of martyr Hossein Kharrazi until became maryred for lots of pieces of quivers in his body. Chapter eight, titled "Resident and Karbala 4: A 36-Hour Record", deals with Atari’s meeting with the supreme leader of the revolution during his presidency, and at this time he was unable to share his views and professional demands with the leader. Other chapters deal with Atari's post-war life with the titles "Anesthesia and Life; Life-Giving," "Health Center and Requirements; Only Humanity", "Spouse and Progress- the Base of Resistance".

The final part of both volumes, with the effort of Massah, contains beautiful pictures and makes the oral history of the war memorable and immortal from the words of these two patriotic physicians.