Minamata Disease and the Mercury Pollution of the Globe

Minamata disease made its first appearance in the world at Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture, in May 1956. In 1962 methyl mercury poisoning through the placenta was found for the first time in the world. This was called congenital Minamata disease. In all cases the clinical symptoms were consistent with those of cerebral palsy. The time and place of outbreak were the same as those for Minamata disease. Their mothers had eaten fish and shellfish during pregnancy. The principal symptoms of congenital Minamata disease are mentalretardation ($100\%$); primitive reflexes ($100\%$); disturbance of coordination ($100\%$); dysarthria ($100\%$); limb deformation (100%); growth disorders ($100\%$); nutritional disorders ($100\%$); chorea-athetose ($95\%$); and hypersalivation ($95\%$). However, today, when the world is polluted by mercury in various places and at various levels, the data we need is not represented by those severe cases, but rather by the chronic milder type. Even in Minamata, the issue of Minamata disease has not been resolved. And likewise, on a global scale the problem of Minamata disease is not yet over.