Who was responsible for the Minamata disease?
Minamata disease was first discovered in the city of Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, in 1956, hence its name. It was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from a chemical factory owned by the Chisso Corporation, which continued from 1932 to 1968.
In which country Minamata disease first occurred?
was first officially “discovered” in Minamata City, south-west region of Japan’s Kyushu Island. The marine products in Minamata Bay displayed high levels of Hg contamination (5.61 to 35.7 ppm).
What was the cause of Minamata disease?
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.
What was Eugene Smith’s project Minamata Japan about?
This obsession is perhaps most evident in his long term project documenting the deadly effects of industrial mercury pollution in Minamata. Smith saw the work as a “warning to the world” and ultimately put his life on the line to give a voice to the victims.
How was the Minamata disease discovered?
Something was affecting their nervous system. Finally, in July 1959, researchers from Kumamoto University discovered the source of the illness—high levels of mercury poisoning—which they then named Minamata disease.
How was the Minamata Disease handled controlled?
Effluent control In 1969, drainage of the factory effluent containing methylmercury to Minamata Bay was regutated. In 1970, the Water Pollution Control Law was enacted, which enforced control of discharge of effluent in all water areas in Japan, in relation to toxic substances, for example, mercury and cadmium.
What disease did Smith study in his photo essay he created while living in Japan with his wife Aileen Mioko Smith?
Minamata disease
Eugene Smith and Aileen M. Smith. Its centerpiece photograph and one of his most famous works, Tomoko and Mother in the Bath, taken in December 1971, drew worldwide attention to the effects of Minamata disease. The photograph shows a mother cradling her severely deformed daughter in a traditional Japanese bath house.
How was the Minamata disease controlled?
Minamata disease can be prevented by reducing or eliminating one’s consumption of fish caught from bodies of water that are contaminated with high concentrations of mercury.
What is the history of Minamata disease?
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).
Who is Masazumi Harada?
Masazumi Harada (原田 正純, Harada Masazumi, September 14, 1934-June 11, 2012) was a Japanese doctor and medical researcher. His most famous work covered the effects of Minamata disease, a type of severe mercury poisoning that occurred in the city of Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture during the 1950s and 1960s.
How did the lawyers prove that methylmercury caused Minamata disease?
First, the lawyers had to show that methylmercury caused Minamata disease and that the company’s factory was the source of pollution. The extensive research by Kumadai and the government’s conclusion meant that this point was proved quite easily.
What is Minamata Disease (水俣病)?
His most famous work covered the effects of Minamata disease, a type of severe mercury poisoning that occurred in the city of Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture during the 1950s and 1960s. His publications included Minamata disease (水俣病, Minamata-byō) (1972) and Minamata Ga Utsusu Sekai (水俣が映す世界, Minamata Ga Utsusu Sekai) (1989).