Masako Ogawa
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese doctor
who worked at the Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium
. She wrote a book, "Spring in a small island" in 1938, about her experiences in persuading leprosy
patients in remote areas of Japan into hospitalization. It created a sensation in Japan, and was made into a film. She was criticized for accelerating the "No leprosy patients in prefecture" movement and giving an impression that leprosy is to be feared.
on March 26, 1902. After her marriage in 1920 and divorce in 1923, she entered the Tokyo Women's Medical College in 1924. At graduation, she visited Kensuke Mitsuda
, at the Zenshoen Hospital but her application for employment was rejected and she worked at other hospitals.
On June 12, 1934 she went to the Nagashima Aiseien, Okayama Prefecture
, where Mitsuda was the director. She was initially hired as informal doctor, then as formal doctor in 1934. Mitsuda ordered her to go on trips to remote areas of the prefecture in order to examine people for leprosy in remote areas and hospitalize those who were affected.
She developed tuberculosis
in 1937. At the order of Mitsuda, she wrote a book "Spring in a small island", which was published in 1938. It created a sensation within Japan.
On April 19, 1948, she died of pulmonary tuberculosis. In 1991, the Masako Ogawa Memorial House was built in her home in Yamanashi Prefecture.
, a Japanese short poem.
Eiko Arai coined a word "Spring in a small island" phenomenon, explaining the wave of support concerning Masako Ogawa. The trend may represent the sentiments of Japanese against the trend of militalization at that time, although some may see Ogawa as a patriot. Eiko Arai also considered Ogawa to be "a new woman", an independent woman in the Taisho Era. Arai further discussed the Ogawa's faith in Christianity.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
who worked at the Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium
Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium
, or the National Sanatorium Nagashima Aiseien, is a sanatorium for leprosy or ex-leprosy patients on the island of Nagashima in Setouchi, Okayama, Japan, which was founded in 1930.-Background:...
. She wrote a book, "Spring in a small island" in 1938, about her experiences in persuading leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
patients in remote areas of Japan into hospitalization. It created a sensation in Japan, and was made into a film. She was criticized for accelerating the "No leprosy patients in prefecture" movement and giving an impression that leprosy is to be feared.
Career
She was born in Yamanashi PrefectureYamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
on March 26, 1902. After her marriage in 1920 and divorce in 1923, she entered the Tokyo Women's Medical College in 1924. At graduation, she visited Kensuke Mitsuda
Kensuke Mitsuda
was a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium and the National Sanatorum Nagashima Aiseien. He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits and Damien-Dutton Award...
, at the Zenshoen Hospital but her application for employment was rejected and she worked at other hospitals.
On June 12, 1934 she went to the Nagashima Aiseien, Okayama Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
, where Mitsuda was the director. She was initially hired as informal doctor, then as formal doctor in 1934. Mitsuda ordered her to go on trips to remote areas of the prefecture in order to examine people for leprosy in remote areas and hospitalize those who were affected.
She developed tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in 1937. At the order of Mitsuda, she wrote a book "Spring in a small island", which was published in 1938. It created a sensation within Japan.
On April 19, 1948, she died of pulmonary tuberculosis. In 1991, the Masako Ogawa Memorial House was built in her home in Yamanashi Prefecture.
"Spring in a small island"
In this book, she wrote her experiences in her trips of examination of leprosy patients in remote mountaneous areas and islands. In the first story, her team was composed of a clerk, a male nurse and Masako Ogawa. They brought a projector to show village people that leprosy patients should be treated in sanatoriums. Ogawa described her experiences in visiting patients living in poor houses, finding new patients in the same house of patients. In addition to her book, she wrote tankaWaka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
, a Japanese short poem.
Reaction
Mokutaro Kinoshita, a literary critic and physician, wrote that this book gave strong favorable impressions because of the description, the "sincerity" of the author and her literary ability. However, after seeing the movie, he commented that the best method of leprosy control would be by chemotherapy, and not by segregation.Eiko Arai coined a word "Spring in a small island" phenomenon, explaining the wave of support concerning Masako Ogawa. The trend may represent the sentiments of Japanese against the trend of militalization at that time, although some may see Ogawa as a patriot. Eiko Arai also considered Ogawa to be "a new woman", an independent woman in the Taisho Era. Arai further discussed the Ogawa's faith in Christianity.