湯原町における腹部症状を伴う脳脊髄炎症 (スモン) の疫学的研究 (第4報)

抄録

The authors have already reported the results of epidemiological studies of SMON in the town of Yubara, Japan.
The Committee on SMON demonstrated that ingestions of chinoform played an important role in development of clinical symptomes in SMON patients as a result of much epidemiological evidence before and after ceasing production and sale of all drugs containing chinoform.
The authors have continued the investigation for the purpose of elucidating unsettled questions concerned the above conclusion.
Results are as follows;
1) No relationship was found between incidences of diseases such as gastritis, gastro-duodenal diseases, diarrhoea and neuropathy, and that of SMON among persons covered by National Health Insurance.
2) Yubara Hospital is the only hospital in the town of Yubara and all the SMON patients were given a clinical diagnosis as well as therapy at this hospital. The amount of chinoform purchased in the hospital paralelled the incidence of SMON and number of patients at the hospital.
3) Two episodes resulted in expansion of the amount of ingested chinoform. One was a change in the advertising method of the drug companies after 1955 which stated possibilities of a wider use of the drug, especially for general gastro-intestinal disorders and the other was a change in government policy after 1960 concerning control over the use of antibiotics.
4) The physical, mental and social disturbances of many SMON patients still present difficult situations.