Minamata Disease

What it is

• Chronic poisoning by alkyl mercury compounds
• Impairment of brain functions
• 1950'S named after Minamata town in Japan
• Caused by disposal of industrial waste

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• Minamata city in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan
• Release of methylmercury
• which continued from 1932 to 1968.

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Effects

• difficulty to walk
• convulsion
• speech difficulties

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Treatments

• Promotion of methyl mercury excretion
• Administration of antioxidants
• Drug Therapy

How it could have been prevented