From bloodletting to apheresis in Japan.
The ancient therapy of bloodletting that was universal in the West traveled to Japan 500 years ago on the trading vessels that carried physicians and barber-surgeons to care for the body and Christian missionaries to care for the soul. Then bloodletting was replaced by blood transfusion in the 19th century, only to return less than 50 years ago as apheresis. An understanding of those transitions can be gained from the story of the introduction of Western medicine to Japan and the events that have led to the practice of apheresis there today.
Mazda
Toshio
T
Japanese Red Cross Central Blood Institute, 2-1-67, Tatsumi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8521, Japan. t-mazda@jrc.or.jp
Schmidt
Paul J
PJ
D026881:Acupuncture / Q000266:history; D019024:Barber Surgeons / Q000266:history; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000266:history*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000266:history; D001815:Bloodletting / Q000266:history*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional / Q000266:history*; D066189:Missionaries; D008921:Religious Missions / Q000266:history; D019366:Western World / Q000266:history