vol.21 (2025)
SU Qihui Department of Japanese Studies,
Key words: Late Edo period Japan, cholera outbreak, medical development, Chinese-translated Western texts, Hobson The unprecedented cholera outbreak that occurred during the Ansei era of the late Edo period resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. The significant loss of life and the fear stemming from an unknown epidemic profoundly impacted Japanese society. Due to the low levels of medical standards and the absence of well-established health administration at the time, effective measures were not initially taken, ultimately leading to an inability to contain the spread of the disease. This situation exacerbated people’s anxiety and fear, resulting in widespread social turmoil. Subsequently, the shogunate lifted the ban on Dutch medicine as an emergency measure, facilitating the translation and introduction of Dutch medical texts, including The Dream of Sleep by Dutch military physician Pompe van Meerdervoort and Guidelines for Treating Cholera, translated by Ogata Koan. Additionally, Chinese translations of Western medical texts by British missionary Benjamin Hobson (He Xin), such as A Brief Outline of Western Medicine, New Treatise on Internal Medicine, and New Treatise on Women and Infants, were actively introduced in the search for effective cholera treatments. These efforts led to the exploration of relatively effective treatment methods, saving lives and curbing the momentum of the cholera outbreak somewhat. Two notable points emerge from the exchange of books and medical practices during the cholera outbreak in the late Edo period. First, quinine and spiritus aromaticus of Western origin began to appear as treatment options for cholera, sparking debates and leading to the replacement and updating of cholera treatments, which illustrated the limitations and declining trust in traditional Chinese medicine within Japanese society during this period. Consequently, Western medicine gained wider acceptance and was adopted for its immediate effectiveness, further accelerating its application. Second, the widespread circulation of Chinese-translated Western texts and their application in medical practice within Japanese society played a significant role. These texts were rendered into Chinese, making them accessible and understandable. Furthermore, as they included Hobson’s practical experiences in treating cholera in China, it is believed that they contributed to the penetration of Western medical knowledge. In other words, the arrival of Chinese-translated Western texts during the cholera outbreak helped establish a psychological preparedness and practical foundation for western medical knowledge within Japanese society, prompting an active acceptance of western medical knowledge during the late Edo period. The dissemination and application of Chinese-translated Western texts during this time had a profound impact on the development of medicine in Japan. This series of changes also served as a catalyst for Japanese society to accept new western medical knowledge, forming a crucial transitional period for the comprehensive study of Western learning following the Meiji Restoration. | |||||
