Abstract
The discovery of the fact that “Itai-itai” disease is caused by a chronic cadmium intoxication leads us to investigate in detail the cadmium distribution in biological materials.
As in nature Cd and Zn are usually found mixed, we have analysed quantitatively both Cd and Zn in biological materials, observing their changing ratio. As to our analytical methods, they are discussed in the preface.
I. Human hair:
The following samples were collected from:
25 males from the epidemic district of “Itai-itai” disease.
36 females including patients with this disease.
6 males and 6 females from other safe districts.
Results:
The hair of young females in the non-epidemic districts revealed the highest contents of Cd accompanied with the greatest amount of Zn contents. Because no remarkable difference can be found in the hair either in the epidemic district or in the non-epidemic district, the observation of Cd contents in the hair is not very effective for a clinical diagnosis of intoxication as in the case of mercury.
II. Rice straw:
Samples used were two kinds of stubble grown in the “Itai-itai” disease epidemic district. They were divided into 5 kinds-rice corn, chaff, halm, stubble and root-and analysed.
The higher the part, the lower were the contents of Cd and Zn.
