Exploring Japanese Kampo medicine in fighting epidemics: discovering and popularising croton and satou as 'specific drugs' to treat cholera

Abstract

Japanese Kampo medicine (medicine with Han Fang) was found effective to treat some epidemic diseases.Historical records show that Namikawa Saimin, a Kampo medicine (Han Fang Medicine) practitioner during the cholera pandemic in the period of Ansei in Japan (1858-1860), discovered that the treatment effect of croton fruit against cholera was remarkable. Another physician in Naniwa also found that satou (Zhǎ Dá, visceral stones of animals and livestock) had the same effect in treating cholera. Subsequently, Wani Tadatane, an official physician in Komatsu Han of Iyo Province, learned about Namikawa Saimin and the use of croton fruit, and a medical officer in Kohofu, Masugi Fuminori, also heard of the story of the physician from Naniwa. Wani Tadatane and Masugi Fuminori verified the effect of croton fruit and satou on cholera treatment respectively. They regarded these two medical materials as the 'specific drugs' for cholera treatment by drawing on the interpretation and understanding of traditional Chinese medicine in terms of the efficacy of these two drugs. In this sense, croton fruit as a 'specific drug' for cholera treatment was widely accepted in the Kampo medical field (Han medicine area in Japan). The development of the use of satou by Masugi Fuminori could not be traced back because of the lack of historical records.