Kensuke Mitsuda

A doctor who devoted himself to the relief of leprosy in Japan. He made many achievements in the field of Hansen's disease (formerly known as leprosy) medicine, such as the Mitsuda reaction. He was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture. He graduated from Saisei Gakusha (1896) and passed the medical license examination. After studying pathology in an elective course at the Imperial University Medical School, he worked at the Tokyo Municipal Orphanage from 1898 (Meiji 31). It was there that he came into contact with Hansen's disease patients, which led to his interest in the disease. He established a "rejuvenation room" for Hansen's disease patients within the hospital, and made recommendations to government officials and experts on how to prevent Hansen's disease. He was the chief physician of Zensei Hospital, a public leprosy sanatorium in Tokyo, which was established in 1909 (Meiji 42), and became its director in 1914 (Taisho 3). In 1931 (Showa 6), he was appointed director of Nagashima Aisei En, the first national leprosy sanatorium, which had been established the previous year on an island in the Seto Inland Sea in Okayama Prefecture. He held this position until his retirement in 1957, during which he worked to improve leprosy sanatoriums throughout the country and contributed to reducing the number of leprosy patients. He received the Asahi Community Service Award and the Order of Culture (1951). His books include "Illustrated Pathology of Leprosy." Eiichi Shibusawa supported his work, and he nurtured excellent female doctors and nurses.

[Yoji Nagatoya]

"Compiled and published by the Fujifu Association: Mitsuda Kensuke and Japan's Leprosy Prevention Work (1958)" ▽ "Aoyagi Ryoku: Eighty Years Devoted to Leprosy - The Life of Mitsuda Kensuke (1965, Shinchosha)" ▽ "Uchida Mamoru: Mitsuda Kensuke (1971, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本の救らい事業に尽くした医師。光田反応など、ハンセン病（旧称、癩(らい)）医学の面での業績も多い。山口県生まれ。済生学舎を卒業（1896）し、医術開業試験に合格。帝国大学医科大学の選科で病理学を修めたのち、1898年（明治31）より東京市養育院に勤めたが、ここでハンセン病の患者に接したことより、ハンセン病に関心をもつようになり、同院内にハンセン病患者専用の「回春病室」を設営したのをはじめとして、行政・有識者などにハンセン病予防について提言。1909年（明治42）に創立の公立らい療養所全生(ぜんせい)病院（東京）の医長、1914年（大正3）には同院長となり、さらに1931年（昭和6）、岡山県下、瀬戸内海の島に前年設立された最初の国立らい療養所長島愛生(あいせい)園の園長として赴任し、1957年退官するまでその地位にあり、全国のハンセン病療養所の充実に努め、ハンセン病の患者数を減少させるのに貢献した。朝日社会奉仕賞、文化勲章（1951）を受けた。著書に『癩病理図譜』などがある。渋沢栄一がその事業を支援し、優れた女医や看護師を育てた。

［長門谷洋治］

『藤楓協会編・刊『光田健輔と日本のらい予防事業』（1958）』▽『青柳緑著『癩に捧げた八十年――光田健輔の生涯』（1965・新潮社）』▽『内田守著『光田健輔』（1971・吉川弘文館）』

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