What was the cause of the Minamata disease in Japan in 1954?

Minamata disease, sometimes referred to as Chisso-Minamata disease, is a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning.

What happened in Minamata Japan in the 1950s?

Mercury Poisoning That Sickened an Entire Japanese Town In the mid-1950s, the people of Minamata, Japan began to notice their cats were going crazy and falling into the sea. Some people thought the cats were committing suicide. The people of Minamata reported numbness in their limbs and lips.

When did Minamata disease happen?

Minamata disease (M. d.) is methylmercury (MeHg) poisoning that occurred in humans who ingested fish and shellfish contaminated by MeHg discharged in waste water from a chemical plant (Chisso Co. Ltd.). It was in May 1956, that M.

In which country Minamata disease was first reported?

On May 1, 1956, a doctor in Japan reported an “epidemic of an unknown disease of the central nervous system,” marking the official discovery of Minamata disease.

What are the symptoms of Minamata disease?

The symptoms of Minamata disease include sensory disorders in the distal portion of the four extremities (loss of sensation in the hands and feet), ataxia (difficulty coordinating movement of hands and feet), concentric constriction of the visual field (narrowing of the field of vision), hearing impairment.

What metal causes Minamata?

Minamata disease is a methylmercury poisoning with neurological symptoms and caused by the daily consump- tion of large quantities of fish and shellfish that were heavily contaminated with the toxic chemical generated in chemical factories and then discharged into the sea.

Is there a cure for Minamata disease?

However, a fundamental cure for Minamata disease has not yet been found. The main treatments involve the temporary relief of symptoms (symptomatic therapy), and rehabilitation (physiotherapy and occupational therapy).

What is the main cause of Minamata disease?

What is the treatment of Minamata disease?

The most important aspect of treatment is the removal of mercury from the body using chelating agents. Chelating agents prevent heavy metals like mercury from binding with body tissue, by reacting with and binding with it themselves.

When was Minamata disease discovered in the world?

Masazumi Harada, M.D., Ph.D. Minamata Disease was discovered for the first time in the world at Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, in 1956 (Minamata Disease Research Group; 1968, Harada M; 1995), and for the next time at Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, in 1965 (Tsubaki T & Irukayama K; 1977).

Are there any cases of Minamata disease in Canada?

The Canadian Government recognized mercury pollution, but denied the occurrence of Minamata Disease insisting that no serious typical cases were found out. On the other hand, the environmental mercury pollution by caustic soda factories brought on severe criticism not only in Canada but also in Asia and Middle and South Americas.

How is Minamata disease a challenge for Democracy?

Lessons from health hazards | Minamata disease: a challenge for democracy and justice Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation93 5.1 Introduction The Minamata disease story is one of blinkered awareness by industry and government, of inaction, refusal to take evidence seriously,

Which is an example of the symptoms of Minamata disease?

According to Prof. Tokuomi, sensory disturbance and constriction of the visual field were observed as an example of the typical symptoms of Minamata Disease among 100% of its patients, coordination disturbance among 93.5%, dysarthria among 88.2%, hearing disturbance among 85.3% and tremor among 75.8%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYot2DUjWcU