Dr. Shlomo Samuelov, the husband of nurse Neomi Samuelov, worked as a doctor at the Rosh Ha’ain hospital. He immigrated to Israel from Bulgaria in 1949 with the hope of finishing his medical training there. In Israel he was sent to the immigrant camp in Rosh Ha’ain when the Hadassah hospital opened.

Dr. Samuelov testifies that children were mainly treated with the purpose of restoring their physiological balance. He describes the burden of working under a heavy workload. He states that the childrens’ personal files included details of medical treatment, but no sufficient identification details. He stresses that parents were not allowed to enter the clinic. He describes a “horrid” death toll. He states that the nurses were very young - some have just finished their training and some were only caretakers. He was surprised by the abundance of supplies such as towels and bedsheets, which came in contrast to the low sanitary conditions. He testifies he did not know of post-mortem surgeries conducted in the hospital by Dr. Feund, and states that she worked there as a pediatrician. He testifies that he was not involved in administration, and that he does not know how children arrived and left, and how burials took place. He states that the number of beds in the hospital started with 30 and reached 70. At peak activity, the hospital had three operating clinics: a polio clinic run by Dr. Samuelov, a general clinic run by Dr. Elyakim, and a hydration clinic (for treatment of dehydration).

Dr. Samuelov testified before the committee on December 19th, 1996. He died in 2013.

In the photo above: hospital staff at Rosh Ha’ain. From right to left – Dr. George Mendel, nurse Nehama Ben-Shakh, Dr. Samuelov. Image taken from the album “Nehama Ben Shakh”, “Israel Niglet La’ain” website.