Ontario Minamata disease

Ontario Minamata Disease

Ontario Minamata disease (pronunciation: /ɒnˈtɛərioʊ mɪnəˈmɑːtə diːˈziːz/) is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. It was first discovered in the First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, in the 1970s.

Etymology

The term "Minamata disease" originates from Minamata, a city in Japan, where a similar outbreak of mercury poisoning occurred in the 1950s. The prefix "Ontario" was added to distinguish this occurrence in Ontario, Canada.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Ontario Minamata disease include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms.

Cause

The disease is caused by severe mercury poisoning, due to industrial pollution. In the case of Ontario Minamata disease, the mercury was discharged into the English-Wabigoon river system by a Dryden Chemical Company chlor-alkali plant using mercury cells.

Related Terms

• Mercury poisoning
• Minamata disease
• Neurotoxicity
• Environmental racism

See Also

• Grassy Narrows
• Wabaseemoong Independent Nations
• Environmental issues in Canada

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Ontario Minamata disease
• Wikipedia's article - Ontario Minamata disease

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