THE DISCOVERY OF THE CAUSAL AGENT OF MINAMATA DISEASE

After the outbreak of an epidemic of a strange disease characterized by severe neurological signs in the small Japanese town of Minamata, a number of scientists in different disciplines were required to identify the causal agent. An account is given of the three-year program, with its disappointments and frustrations as a result of the limitations of knowledge of ecological principles and the absence of adequate techniques for detection and measurement. The lessons that have been learned on how toxic compounds can accumulate and concentrate in food chains are described as are the ecological contributions of environmentally safe waste disposal techniques. This article is based on the recollections of Dr. Shoji Kitamura, who contributed greatly to the discovery of the causative agent of Minamata disease.