Abstract
In order to make clear the cause of the so-called “Itai Itai” disease, we measured the amonut of heavy metals (Cd, Pb and Zn) in the urine and faeces of the patients as well as healthy men. The results obtained were as follows:
1. The urinary cadmium excretion of the patients in the hospital was found markedly in greater quantity than their contrasts (in cases of other bone diseasesr sufferers and healthy men).
2. The urinary metal excretion (Cd, Pb and Zn) of the patients and healthy men in the epidemic district was compared with that of healthy men in the contrasted district, where such a case has been never seen till now. The most marked difference was the greater cadmium excretion by the former. And in the epidemic district, the considerable amount of cadmium was found in the urine of the patients and healthy men alike.
3. The cadminm content of rice and soybean in the epidemic district was clearly greater than in the contrasted district. With lead and zinc there was not so clear a difference as with cadmium.
