The Studies of Lead Encephalopathy in Infants in Acta Paediatrica Japonica from 1931 to 1935 When the Ministerial Ordinance Came into Force (the third part)

Abstract

An infant disorder, so-called meningitis in infancy (SCMI), was reported by Sukehiko Itoh et al. in the 28th year of Meiji Era (1895) in Japan. Twenty-eight years later, Ikutaro Hirai, a professor at Kyoto University, clarified in the 12th year of Taisho Era (1923) that SCMI was a chronic lead-poisoning disease caused by white lead included in the mothers’ cosmetic powder. Then, regulation of white lead was stipulated in the 5th year of Showa Era (1930) and came into force in the 10th year of Showa Era (1935). In the present study, we examined the outline of SCMI research in this period from the perspective of clinical and laboratory findings including those by blood tests, physiological function tests, biochemical tests and X-ray examinations of bones and teeth.