Shibasaburo Kitasato

Bacteriologist. Born as the eldest son of Kitazato Katsunori, headman of Kitazato Village, Higo Province (Oguni Town, Aso County, Kumamoto Prefecture). In 1871 (Meiji 4), he studied under Dutch physician Ran Mansfeld at the Medical School Hospital in Kumamoto (later Kumamoto Medical School), and at his instruction entered Tokyo Medical School, where he worked hard and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tokyo (the successor to Tokyo Medical School) in 1883. Aiming to become an administrative official, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs' Health Bureau, and was involved in the introduction of bacteriology by Director Nagayo Sensai, and in February 1884 he studied in the bacteriology lab of the Sanitary Laboratory, where Ogata Masanori, a professor at the University of Tokyo, was also serving as a professor. About 10 months later, through an introduction from Ogata, he went to study in Germany, and in January 1885 he joined Koch's laboratory, where he succeeded in using hydrogen gas to cultivate a pure culture of the anaerobic bovine bacterium Black bursa, and then in culturing the tetanus bacillus, and moved on to research into tetanus toxin and tetanus immunity. In 1890, he published a paper co-authored with diphtheria immunologist E. Behring, titled "On the Serum Treatment of Diphtheria and Tetanus," announcing the discovery of immune serum treatment, and Kitasato's name spread throughout the world. Behring further developed this research and went on to win the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1901).

Kitasato extended his study abroad period with an Imperial Household Treasury in order to study Koch's tuberculin research, and was awarded the title of professor by the Prussian government, returning to Japan in 1892. However, there was no place for Kitasato to conduct his research in Japan, and when Yukichi Fukuzawa learned of this, he built an infectious disease research institute for Kitasato in Shiba Park, Tokyo, and placed it under the management of the Dai-Nippon Shiyoenkai (Great Japan Private Hygiene Association). In 1894, by official order, he investigated the plague epidemic in Hong Kong and discovered the plague bacillus, an achievement on a par with that of Ersan, who independently discovered it at the same time. That same year, the institute was remodeled to include animal enclosures and hospital rooms, and Kitasato worked to produce therapeutic immune sera and preventive vaccines, as well as to train the next generation of researchers. In 1899, the infectious disease research institute came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Kitasato thereafter provided guidance on epidemic prevention as the institute's director. During this time, he received honorary membership and other honors from various governments and academic societies, and in 1906 (Meiji 39) he became a member of the Imperial Academy. However, in October 1914 (Taisho 3), the cabinet of Okuma Shigenobu suddenly announced that the Institute for Infectious Diseases would be transferred to the organization of Tokyo Imperial University. Kitasato opposed the move, and he and all of his staff resigned. He then used his own funds to found the Kitasato Institute, serving as its director for the rest of his life. In 1917, when the Keio University School of Medicine was founded, he became Dean of the School of Medicine. He served in various positions, including member of the House of Peers, chairman of the Greater Japan Private Hygiene Association, president of the Japan Medical Association, and chairman of the 6th Far Eastern Medical Society, and was awarded the title of baron in 1924. He died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage on June 13, 1931.

[Tsunezaburo Fujino]

Kitasato Shibasaburo and Nakamura Keiko, Tetanus Bacteria Theory: The Living Field, Active Intelligence 1 (1999, Tetsugaku Shobo) ▽ Nagaki Daizo, Kitasato Shibasaburo: The Founder of Kitasato University (1977, Takeuchi Shoten Shinsha) ▽ Nagaki Daizo, Kitasato Shibasaburo and His Disciples (1989, expanded edition, 1992, Keio Tsushin) ▽ Wakayama Saburo, The Thunder Father Who Saved Humanity: Kitasato Shibasaburo, a Life of Conviction and Effort (1992, on-demand edition, 2000, PHP Research Institute) ▽ Nagaki Daizo, Record of the Birth of Kitasato University (1998, Keio University Press) ▽ Nomura Shigeru, Kitasato Shibasaburo and Ogata Masanori: The Dawn of Modern Medicine in Japan (2003, Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun) ▽ "The Life of Kitasato Shibasaburo - The First Nobel Prize Candidate" by Yukio Sunagawa (2003, NTT Publishing) " "The Man of the Donnel, Kitasato Shibasaburo - 150 Years Since His Birth, Volumes 1 and 2 by Mitsuo Yamazaki (2003, Toyo Keizai Inc.) " "The Fighting Spirit of Medicine: A Novel of Kitasato Shibasaburo" by Tatsuaki Shinoda (Bunshun Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

細菌学者。肥後国(ひごのくに)北里村（熊本県阿蘇(あそ)郡小国(おぐに)町）の総庄屋(そうしょうや)北里帷信の長男に生まれる。1871年（明治4）熊本の医学所病院（のち熊本医学校）で蘭医(らんい)マンスフェルトに師事、その指示により東京医学校に入り、苦学勉励し、1883年東京大学医学部（東京医学校の後身）を卒業。行政官を志し内務省衛生局に入り、局長長与専斎(ながよせんさい)の細菌学導入計画に加わり、1884年2月ドイツ留学より帰った東大教授緒方正規(おがたまさのり)が兼務する衛生試験所細菌室で学んだ。約10か月後、緒方の紹介を得てドイツに留学、1885年1月コッホの研究室に入り、ここで水素ガスを用いてウシの嫌気性菌・気腫疽菌(きしゅそきん)の純培養に成功し、ついで破傷風菌の純培養に成功、破傷風毒素・破傷風免疫の研究に進む。1890年ジフテリアの免疫研究者E・ベーリングと共著で「ジフテリアおよび破傷風の血清治療について」という免疫血清治療発見の論文を発表、北里の名は全世界に広がった。ベーリングはこの研究を発展させ第1回ノーベル医学生理学賞（1901）を受賞することになる。

　北里は、コッホのツベルクリン研究修得のため皇室内帑金(ないどきん)によって留学期間を延長、プロイセン政府よりプロフェソールの称号を受け、1892年に帰国した。しかし国内には彼の研究すべき場がなく、これを知った福沢諭吉が、東京芝公園内に北里のために伝染病研究所を建て、大日本私立衛生会の管理とした。1894年、官命により香港(ホンコン)のペスト流行を調査しペスト菌を発見、これは独立的に同時発見したエルサンと並ぶ功績である。この年、研究所は動物舎や病室を備えた新研究所になり、北里は治療用免疫血清・予防用ワクチン製造と後進の育成に努めた。1899年伝染病研究所が内務省管轄となり、以後北里は伝染病研究所所長として防疫指導にあたった。この間、各国政府、学会から名誉会員などの栄を受け、1906年（明治39）帝国学士院会員となった。しかるに1914年（大正3）10月大隈重信(おおくましげのぶ)内閣が突如、伝染病研究所を東京帝国大学の組織下に移すことを発表、北里は反対し、彼と全職員が辞職した。そして私財をもって北里研究所を創立、生涯所長を務めた。1917年慶応義塾大学医学部創設に際し医学科長に就任。貴族院議員、大日本私立衛生会会頭、日本医師会会長、第6回極東医学会会頭などを歴任、1924年男爵に叙せられた。昭和6年6月13日、脳出血により急逝した。

［藤野恒三郎］

『北里柴三郎、中村桂子著『破傷風菌論――生の場・能動知性1』（1999・哲学書房）』▽『長木大三著『北里柴三郎――北里大学学祖』（1977・竹内書店新社）』▽『長木大三著『北里柴三郎とその一門』（1989／増補版・1992・慶応通信）』▽『若山三郎著『人類をすくった“カミナリおやじ”――信念と努力の人生・北里柴三郎』（1992／オンデマンド版・2000・PHP研究所）』▽『長木大三著『北里大学誕生の記』（1998・慶応義塾大学出版会）』▽『野村茂著『北里柴三郎と緒方正規――日本近代医学の黎明期』（2003・熊本日日新聞社）』▽『砂川幸雄著『北里柴三郎の生涯――第1回ノーベル賞候補』（2003・NTT出版）』▽『山崎光夫著『ドンネルの男・北里柴三郎――生誕150年』上下（2003・東洋経済新報社）』▽『篠田達明著『闘う医魂　小説・北里柴三郎』（文春文庫）』

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