The acceptance of Western science and technology on Sakuma Shozan-centered on the relation to the books in Dutch -

Research Project

Project/Area Number	06680077
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	科学技術史(含科学社会学・科学技術基礎論)
Research Institution	Osaka Prefectural Education Center
Principal Investigator	AZUMA Toru Osaka Prefectural Education Center, Department of Science, Senior Researcher, 科学教育部, 主任研究員 (30132939)
Project Period (FY)	1994 – 1995
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1995)
Budget Amount *help	¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000) Fiscal Year 1995: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000) Fiscal Year 1994: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Keywords	history of science / Japan / Sakuma Shozan / acceptance of science / production of glass / apparatus for electroshock therapy / van den Broek / ベウスヘル / 蘭学
Research Abstract	In this research project we discussed the characteristics of acception of science and technology in Japan centered on Sakuma Shozan (1811-1864). It is now widely accepted that he has learned Dutch. But scholars disagree in opinion about the influence of the books in Dutch on Shozan. So we looked into the relation between his knowledge of science and technology and the books in Dutch which he had read. ・The production of the laboratory glass was the first matter in which he was interested. In those days he possessed the book entitled "Algemeen huis houdelijk, natuur-, zedekundig-en konst woordenboek" written by Chomel, M.N.and the book entitled "Niew en volkomen woordenboek van konsten en weetenschappen" written by Buys, E.The result of investigation of these books was that most of contents which he explained about glass in his letter is described in these books. Furthermore we showed that the glassware which he made was a kind of distilller which had been introduced in Kagaya's advertising leaflet. ・We looked into the relation between his knowledge of artillery and artillery books in Dutch. His knowledge of the classification of cannons and mountings is greatly indebted for the book entitled "Handleiding voor onderofficieren, tot de kenis der theoretischen en praktische wetenschappen der artillerie" written by Beuscher, W.F. ・We duscussed the relation between van den Brooek and the apparatus for electroshock therapy. Van den Brooek had introduced the apparatus for electroshock therapy to the physics magazine published at Arnhem and it had been the same type of apparatus as Shozan made. ・we indicated a strong influence from Tokugawa scientists on Shozan.