Contents of Cadmium and Zinc in Organs of Itai-itai Disease Patients and Residents of Hokuriku District

Abstract

Contents of Cd and Zn in the organs of the 5 autopsy cases of the Itai-itai diseased were analysed. 41 autopsy cases were done on patients who had been inhabitants in the non-endemic part of the Hokuriku Distrct. This was done to provide a comparison and an analysis of livers, kidneys as well as 3 cases where 13 other organs were included was carried out.
The livers as almost all other organs contained a high degree of cadmium; thus substantiating the fact that cadmium deposits are high in bodies of Itai-itai diseased patients. However, cadmium contents of kidney cortices were low. This may be attributed to the fact that in this disease destruction of the tubuli of the kidney progresses rapidly and seriously.