Kazuo Saikawa
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese physician, who contributed to the treatment of leprosy
and to the administration of leprosy policy in Japan
. Concerning the segregation policy of leprosy patients, he was against Kensuke Mitsuda
and worked in Taiwan and Okinawa.
who was a stubborn leprosy patient segregationalist. Saikawa also criticized Mitsuda's testimony before the Welfare Committee of the House of Councillors.
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
and to the administration of leprosy policy in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Concerning the segregation policy of leprosy patients, he was against Kensuke Mitsuda
Kensuke Mitsuda
was a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium and the National Sanatorum Nagashima Aiseien. He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits and Damien-Dutton Award...
and worked in Taiwan and Okinawa.
Life
- He was born in Tokyo in 1918, and graduated from Tokyo Jikeikai University, now Jikei University School of MedicineJikei University School of Medicineis a private university in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Jikei means mercy and love in Japanese.-The three major private medical schools in Tokyo:*Keio University School of Medicine*Jikei University School of Medicine*Nippon Medical School...
in 1944. In 1944 he started to work at Nagashima Aiseien SanatoriumNagashima Aiseien Sanatorium, or the National Sanatorium Nagashima Aiseien, is a sanatorium for leprosy or ex-leprosy patients on the island of Nagashima in Setouchi, Okayama, Japan, which was founded in 1930.-Background:...
under Kensuke MitsudaKensuke Mitsudawas a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium and the National Sanatorum Nagashima Aiseien. He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits and Damien-Dutton Award...
. In a short time he worked as army officer in China. In 1946, he returned to Nagashima Aiseien SanatoriumNagashima Aiseien Sanatorium, or the National Sanatorium Nagashima Aiseien, is a sanatorium for leprosy or ex-leprosy patients on the island of Nagashima in Setouchi, Okayama, Japan, which was founded in 1930.-Background:...
and studied pathology and treatment trial with promin, the wonder drug of leprosy. In 1960, he was appointed medical doctor at the Taiwan Leprosy Saving Association. In 1964, WHO leprosy specialist in West Pacific Area. In 1971, Ryukyu Government Airakuen Sanatorium director. While Okinawa was returned to Japan, he made the outpatient treatment of leprosy patients to continue only in Okinawa. 1972-1987, Okinawa Airakuen Sanatorium director. 1978, the president of the Leprosy Congress in Okinawa. Received the Sakurane Award for his immunologic studies of leprosy in Okinawa. 2001, he testified to the unconstitutionality of the leprosy prevention law. In 2007. he died in Tokyo.
1953 Lucknow Conference
- Saikawa attended the 1953 LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
Conference, in India as the only one observer from Japan. It was a conference for leprosy management in the days when leprosy could be cured. Kensuke MitsudaKensuke Mitsudawas a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium and the National Sanatorum Nagashima Aiseien. He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits and Damien-Dutton Award...
asked Saikawa for his questions since many noted scholars attended it, including R.G.Cochrane and Dharmendra, with Mitsuda's atlas of pathology of atlas for distribution. They were of the opinion that promin could cure leprosy; if not, new chemicals may be found. Kensuke MitsudaKensuke Mitsudawas a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium and the National Sanatorum Nagashima Aiseien. He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits and Damien-Dutton Award...
thought that Japan was rich in the nodular type and they could not endure leprosy stigmaLeprosy stigmaLeprosy stigma is a kind of social stigma, a strong feeling that a leprosy patient is shameful and is not accepted normally in society. Also called leprosy related stigma, leprostigma and stigma of leprosy.-Stigma:...
if patients were discharged into the society.
Books written and edited
- Papers on leprosy written in Okinawa(1979), Naha
- Wounds in leprosy(1982), Naha
- The gate is open(1989), Misuzu Shobo, Tokyo
- Leprosy in the Bible(1994), Shikyo Shuppansha, Tokyo
- Leprosy medicine is my road(1996), Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo
- Leprosy in Chinese classics(1998), Naha
- The history of leprosy administration (1999), Naha
Papers
- Immunological studies of leprosy in Okinawa, part 1, New patients, Repura, 43, 53-62,1974.
- part 2, Geographical distribution, Repura 44,150-162,1975.
- part 3, Remote islands, Repura 46,1-7, 1977.
- part 4, Leprosy in cities, Repura 46, 8-13, 1977.
- There were many other papers by Saikawa.
Criticisms
Yutaka Fujino criticized Saikawa for his warm evaluation of Kensuke MitsudaKensuke Mitsuda
was a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium and the National Sanatorum Nagashima Aiseien. He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits and Damien-Dutton Award...
who was a stubborn leprosy patient segregationalist. Saikawa also criticized Mitsuda's testimony before the Welfare Committee of the House of Councillors.