A fishing port, minamata was also the home of nippon chisso hiryo co. Mercury poisoning of thousands confirmed world news the. Some scientists, however, did not support this organic mercury theory. Dancer aims to reinvent minamata, long known for disease caused by pollution, into a city of samba. Minamata disease, disease first identified in 1956 in minamata, japan. Through gills and gastrointestinal tracts, fishery products such as fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish, take in methylmercury discharged from chemical plants into rivers and seas. Minamata disease, a form of health damage triggered by environmental pollution, caused major issues to the nature of polluted areas and local society at large. A call for action on mercury poisoning in minamata, japan. The number of sufferers of the disease could have been much smaller if the chisso corporation and the japanese government took responsibility sooner and the public would of been alerted of the toxic levels of mercury they were ingesting.
In the study of the touch thresholds examined at body. There were 12,617 people who were recognized as patients. An autopsy case of minamata disease methylmercury poisoning. Mercury poisoning of thousands confirmed world news. Also known as chisso minamata disease, it was first discovered in the japanese city of minamata in 1956. Treatment and therapies congenital minamata disease. Other sources of maternal exposure to methyl mercury have included flour made from seed grain treated with methyl mercury which affected at least 6,500 people in iraq and meat from animals raised on. Minamata disease is a neurological disorder caused by methylmercury poisoning which originated from the discharge of wastewater containing methylmercury from chemical plants in japan. People had to apply for the certificate certifying that they got impacts from minatama and got the disease.
May 30, 2011 1959 1969official government recognition on 26 september 1968, the government finally issued an official conclusion as to the cause of minamata disease. Social and ethical issues congenital minamata disease. Symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, loss of peripheral vision, and damage to hearing and speech. Dec 11, 2018 minamata disease has not been confined to minamata where the source of the mercury was primarily from eating fish caught in the contaminated bay. Minamata disease sometimes referred to as chissominamata disease is a neurological. Jun 08, 2010 on 1 may 1956, hajime hosokawa and kaneki noda submitted a report to the minamata health centre in japan on a mysterious series of four cases of the same, unknown neurological disease social scientific study group on minamata disease 1999. Minamata disease was named the cause of death for 1, 408 people. Minamata disease, a form of health damage triggered by environmental. A congenital form of the disease can also affect fetuses in the womb. Organomercurials are also used as fungicides for seeds and plants. Icett4 the social and economic impact of minamaa disease. Apr 20, 2020 minamata disease is a neurological syndrome triggered by acute mercury poisoning. In minamata city, major industrial activities except agriculture have been depressed since the official discovery of minamata disease, the growth in the fish catch, commercial sales, and industrial production has become poor compared with those of the entire prefecture. Take your hr comms to the next level with prezi video.
Based on earlier reports and extensive pathological studies on autopsied cases at. With regard to minamata disease occurring in the reaches of the agano river in niigata prefecture, the patient was reported for the first time in may 1965. Identical in symptoms to the original outbreak of minamata disease in kumamoto prefecture, the second outbreak in niigata prefecture was confirmed with the same name in 1965. Minamata disease was a neurological syndrome described in humans, birds, and cats that were exposed to methylmercurycontaminated fish in the minamata area of japan in the 1960s. Role in framing in sustainability science the case of minamata. Also, the development of environment recovery technology and concurring tremendous investment should be emphasized, as well as notional and. The neuropathology of minamata disease has been well studied. It occurred in the canadian province of ontario, in 1970, and severely affected two first nation communities in northwestern ontario following consumption of local fish contaminated with mercury, and one first nation in southern ontario due to illegal disposal of industrial chemical waste. Harada and invitation of canadian indigenous victims to visit japan. Hajime hosokawa from the chisso corporation hospital, reported on may 1, 1956 that, an unclarified disease of the central nervous system has broken out. The minamata disaster and thetrue costs of japanese modernization in 1900, minamata bay was a sleepy fishing village, located on the west coast of the japanese island of kyushu about 560 miles southwest of tokyo. It has taken some of these people over thirty years to receive compensation for this inconceivable. Born in 1956, tomoko suffered from mercury poisoning.
Minamata disease is a poisoning disease that affects mainly the central nervous system and is caused by the consumption of large quantities of fish and shellfish living in minamata bay and its surroundings, the major causative agent being some sort of organic mercury compound. Minamata in kumamoto prefecture has long been known mainly for a deadly. Organic mercury discharged with the wastewater from an industrial plant polluted the environment, which in turn contaminated fish and shellfish. This document has been compiled, in the process of understanding the. Minamata disease is a catastrophic poisoning due to a failed public health response. At least 64 cases of it have been reported to date. Niigata minamata disease, niigata minamatabyo is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning.
The photos brought world attention to the minamata disease caused by mercury being released into the ocean by a company called chisso. This chapter discusses framing by using the minamata disease as a case study. Nov, 2019 to properly address the problems of minamata disease, the skills and a sense of framing are necessary. In 1992, the city declared the creation of a model environmental. In july 1959, the minamata disease study team of the faculty of medicine. A form of poisoning, minamata disease is a disease of the central nervous. Minamata disease, sometimes referred to as chisso minamata disease, is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. Methyl mercury discharged from the factory contaminated fish and shellfish, which in turn. Symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. At the request of this committee, a study group on strange minamata disease was organized at. School minamata disease study group hereafter called kumamoto. Trade and environment database ted case study minamata.
In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death follow within weeks of the. Trade and environment database ted case study minamata disaster. The japanese government has certified that 2,264 people have minamata disease. Essay on minamata patients life and minamata compensation. Minamata disease related news japan widens relief for mercury poisoning disaster victims descendents of 1950s mercury poisoning sufferers might be adversely affected, says report.
The outbreak of methylmercury poisoning in the geographic areas around minamata bay, kumamoto, japan in the 1950s has become known as minamata disease. April 1, 2010 4 the social and economic impact of minamaa disease. The minamata disaster and thetrue costs of japanese modernization. The ocean served up a rich variety of seafood, and its tidal shallows were a veritable sea. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and deathfollow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. Programme unep released the global mercury assessment report in 2002. They referred to cats afflicted with the disease as the suicideprone group of dancing cats due to their tendency to dance around, and then jump into the. The chisso doctor hosokawa, whose report on minamata disease in the chisso factory cats was also suppressed, drew some. Ontario minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. In july 1965, it was confirmed that there were 26 patients and that 5 of the patients died. Even after years from the initial exposure of the patient to mercury, it was still affecting the patient neurologically, meaning the mercury was still present in the body. Minamata disease sometimes referred to as chisso minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. Series of these unexplainable occurrences were bringing panic to minamata. The issue over 3,000 victims have been recognized as having minamata disease.
Although this is just a case study of one patient, it shows promise for a future treatment for those affected with chronic mercury poisoning, especially minamata disease. The minamata disease broke out in the midst of rapid economic growth in japans postwar rehabilitation. A few weeks later, a committee of medical experts found an additional 30 patients along the shores of. Minamata disease is a methylmercury poisoning with neurological symptoms and caused. Minamata disease is an encephalopathy and peripheral neuropathy caused by daily intake of fish and shellfish highly contaminated by methylmercury. This chapter explains the outline of minamata disease case first, several framings of minamata disease and then the importance of framing in sustainability. Organic mercury discharged with the wastewater from an industrial plant polluted the environment, which in. Minamata disease sometimes referred to as chissominamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Minamata disease is unique in its mechanism of outbreak. Feb 15, 2017 the perils of mercurypoisoning are laid bare by victims of the niigata minamata disease who recount lingering social stigma and the importance of protecting the environment in a new book by a. Minamata disease is a disease of the central nervous system, a poisoning caused by longterm consumption, in large amounts, of fish and shellfish from minamata bay.
Minamata disease, or methylmercury poisoning, was first discovered in 1956 around minamata bay, kumamoto prefecture, japan. Ppt minamata powerpoint presentation free to view id. Nov 26, 2008 minamata disease mizue hori etsuko honda mariko matsubara slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The study by doctors at kumamoto university could cost the japanese government billions of yen millions of pounds as thousands of claimants seek recognition as having minamata disease the. Minamata is a small factory town dominated by the chisso corporation. Minamata disease resulted from environmental exposure to methylmercury through contaminated fish and shellfish consumption. However, the case of minamata disease and water pollution control may be an example for those environmental recovery efforts without any preexisting arrangements. In fact, their report, corporate responsibility for minamata disease. Niigata minamata disease victims shed light on stigma in. Study of selective vulnerability within the cerebral cortex.
Introduction tragedy of minamata disease and environmental. The minamata bay disaster the minamata bay disaster a case study of. A similar epidemic occurred in 1965 along the agano river, niigata prefecture, japan. Minamata disease victims memorial service as well as work to solve the issues regarding the relief of victims. Lessons from minamata disease and mercury management in japan. However, these numbers were only patients with the certificate. The perils of mercurypoisoning are laid bare by victims of the niigata minamata disease who recount lingering social stigma and the importance of protecting the environment in a. In july 1959, the minamata disease study team of the faculty of medicine, university of kumamoto reported that it had reached the conclusion that the substance causing minamata disease was a mercury component, most likely an organomercury compound. Niigata minamata disease victims shed light on stigma in new. Nearly 1,800 people have died from the disease, and it has had a major impact on the studies of pollution and toxicology. Minamata disease is also known as chissominamata disease, it is a disease of the central nervous system, a mercury poisoning caused by consumption in large amounts, of fish and shellfish from minamata bay.
Minamata in kumamoto prefecture has long been known mainly for a. Hosokawa linked the fish diets to the disease, and soon investigators were promulgating. The disease became called minamata disease from 1957 onward. A form of poisoning, minamata disease is a disease of the central nervous system, caused by the consumption of fish and shellfish contaminated with methyl mercury compounds discharged into the environment as factory waste etc. Role in framing in sustainability science the case of. Invision employees share their remote work secrets. The minamata disease as an example of government weakness the effects of minamata disease, which originated in minamata, japan, first came to the attention of local fishermen. Outline of minamata diseasecause and damage of minamata. This is another reason for choosing the minamata disease case as a case study. Each form possesses different toxic properties and intoxi. Environmental research is a multidisciplinary journal publishing high quality and novel information about anthropogenic issues of global relevance and applicability in a wide range of environmental disciplines, and demonstrating environmental application in the realworld context. This was because the minamata disease not only caused an unimaginable level of.