Minamata Disease

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Minamata Disease, a poisoning disease of the central nervous system caused by methylmercury compound, which is discharged from factory effluent, polluting the environment and then, through the food-chain, accumulated in fish and shellfish. The author points out that, at first the Japanese government denied the relationship of the factory discharge and the illness, putting the needs of the factory above the well-being of its citizens and environment; but in 1969, well after the polluting production process had been shut down, the area was designated a protected marine area by the government, requiring that no waste-water containing methylmercury be released into it. The paper relates that the Japanese government has taken measures to prevent this from happening again; compensation settlements have been reached, and today, the national government is the body that certifies a person as being afflicted by the disorder.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Discovering Minamata Disease
A Deadly Disease
Significant First
Understanding the Disease
Governmental Involvement
Political Settlements
Continuing Lawsuit
The Disease Today
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The first case of Minameta Disease was reported in 1956, "in Minamata City located on the Yatsushiro Sea coast in Kumamoto Prefecture, in a patient suffering from neurological symptoms of unknown cause." This case led Minameta City to immediately develop the Committee on Unknown Disease to take measures against the patients and investigate to find the cause. The investigation was conducted mainly by Kumamoto University, and in November 1956, the university reported that the disease is a certain type of heavy metal poisoning transmitted via fish and shellfish. Since knowledge and experience about environmental pollution were not enough at that time and technology for analysis of very small amounts of chemical substances was insufficient, a great deal of time was required until the cause was made clear."

More papers on Minamata Disease:

• Essay # 89281 : "Methylmercury Poisoning in Minamata Japan"
• Term Paper # 143159 : "The Minamata Bay Tragedy"
• Essay # 138061 : "The Elderly and Heart Disease: Men and Women in New York"

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