Social History of Tuberculosis in First Half of 20th Century China

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00262
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01080:Sociology of science, history of science and technology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Fukushi Yuki 東京都立大学, 人文科学研究科, 教授 (60581288)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 結核 / 中国 / 医療 / 衛生 / 社会経済 / 肝油 / 栄養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to elucidate some aspects of the relationship between people's lives and their health in the context of political and socioeconomic changes in China during the modern era by examining the prevalence of tuberculosis in China in the first half of the 20th century, its socioeconomic background, countrol measures, and social relations surrounding patients.Throughout the study period, the following were identified. (1) Tuberculosis (TB) was prevalent mainly in urban areas, but also became a problem in some rural areas (2) The rural epidemic was thought to be caused in part by labor migration to and from the cities (3) TB sanatoriums and specialized clinics were established from the 1930s　in some cities, but they did not spread nationwide until the founding of the People's Republic (4) Close relatives such as family and friends played a major role in the treatment of patients.

Free Research Field

中国近現代史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、近現代中国における社会経済的変化とそれに伴う人びとの暮らしの変化の中で疾病の歴史を位置づけたことにある。本研究では、結核という慢性感染症に着目することによって、人びとの日常生活史と疾病史を結び付けて議論することを試みた。
結核は、本研究で扱った20世紀前半の大部分の時期において、決定的な治療方法が確立していなかった。こうした中で人びとがどのように結核に向き合い、対処しようとしてきたのかを明らかにすることは、健康をめぐる人類の歴史の一端を解明することにもつながるものである。