Erwin Otto Eduard von Bälz (13 January 1849 – 31 August 1913) was a German internist, anthropologist, and personal physician to the Japanese Imperial Family and cofounder of modern western medicine in Japan.
The son of a contractor, Bälz was born in 1849 in Bietigheim-Bissingen in Germany. He attended grammar school in Stuttgart and studied medicine at University of Tübingen. He graduated at the age of 23, and subsequently worked at the medical department of the University of Leipzig in 1869, and served as a medic in the German army during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. He returned to the University of Leipzig in 1875.
While at Leipzig, he treated a Japanese exchange student, which led to the offer by the Japanese government of a two-year contract with the Medical College of Tokyo Imperial University in 1876. Bälz’s contract was renewed several times, and he ended up spending 27 years in Japan, the longest of any of the Oyatoi gaikokujin advisors. In 1881, he married a Japanese woman, Toda Hanako, and had four children.
In the summer of 1899, Bälz visited the Korean capital Seoul and Busan and undertook ethnological investigations. From 22 April to 3 July 1903, he was again in Korea and, together with Richard Wunsch, undertook an expedition into the interior of the country.
In 1902, he was appointed personal physician-in-waiting to Emperor Meiji and the Imperial household of Japan.
Bälz taught more than 800 students in Western medicine during his tenure at the Tokyo Imperial University. During his stay in Japan, he treated some of the most influential men in the Meiji government, including Prime MinistersItō Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo. On Bälz's initiative, the volcanic springs of Kusatsu (200 km away from Tokyo) were transformed into the most successful hot spring resort of Japan. He compared the area with the European spa resort of Karlsbad, and felt that mountainous air, as well as the clear waters, was very conducive to health.
Another medical contribution was the discovery and naming of "Mongolian spot". Finding an unrecorded feature of blue spots in Japanese babies, he thought these spots were characteristic of people of Mongolian origin.[1][2][3]
In 1905, Bälz returned to Germany with his family.[4] In Stuttgart, late in the summer of 1913, Bälz succumbed to heart disease.
LegacyEdit
Bälz was also an ardent art collector; the majority of the Japanese works collected by him are located at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart. A stone sculpture at his alma mater, University of Tübingen is a reminder of his contributions to Japanese medical science. In 1961, a sister city relationship between Kusatsu and Bietigheim-Bissingen was established.
After his death, his diary Das Leben eines deutschen Arztes im erwachenden Japan (1931, tr. The Diary of a German Doctor in Awakening Japan) was published, giving unique insights into Japan in the Meiji era.
In 1883, while staying at the Fujiya Hotel in Miyanoshita, Hakone, Bälz noticed that his maid's hands were chapped. He made a mixture of glycerin and water for her, which was later sold widely in Japan under the name of Bälz Water. It is also listed in the Japan Pharmacopoeia.
During his time in Japan, Bälz became a fan of judo, and is credited with introducing the sport to Germany.
In the year 2000, a commemorative museum honoring Bälz was erected in Kusatsu.[5]
ReferencesEdit
^Baelz, E. Die koerperlichen Eigenschaften der Japaner. (1885) Mittheil.d.deutschen Gesell. f. Natur- und Völkerkunde Ostasiens. Bd. 4, H. 32
^Circumscribed dermal melanocytosis (Mongolian spot),(1981) Kikuchi I. Inoue S. in "Biology and Diseases of Dermatal Pigmentation", University of Tokyo Press
^González, John Morán; Lomas, Laura (2018). The Cambridge History of Latina/o American Literature. Cambridge University Press. p. 135. ISBN9781316872208.
erwin, bälz, erwin, otto, eduard, bälz, january, 1849, august, 1913, german, internist, anthropologist, personal, physician, japanese, imperial, family, cofounder, modern, western, medicine, japan, born, 1849, january, 1849bietigheim, bissingen, german, confed. Erwin Otto Eduard von Balz 13 January 1849 31 August 1913 was a German internist anthropologist and personal physician to the Japanese Imperial Family and cofounder of modern western medicine in Japan Erwin BalzErwin BalzBorn 1849 01 13 13 January 1849Bietigheim Bissingen German ConfederationDied31 August 1913 1913 08 31 aged 64 Stuttgart German EmpireNationalityGermanOccupation s Medicine anthropology foreign relations of JapanKnown forForeign advisor to Meiji JapanBalz left and the German metallurgist Curt Netto in Japan Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksBiography EditThe son of a contractor Balz was born in 1849 in Bietigheim Bissingen in Germany He attended grammar school in Stuttgart and studied medicine at University of Tubingen He graduated at the age of 23 and subsequently worked at the medical department of the University of Leipzig in 1869 and served as a medic in the German army during the Franco Prussian War in 1870 He returned to the University of Leipzig in 1875 While at Leipzig he treated a Japanese exchange student which led to the offer by the Japanese government of a two year contract with the Medical College of Tokyo Imperial University in 1876 Balz s contract was renewed several times and he ended up spending 27 years in Japan the longest of any of the Oyatoi gaikokujin advisors In 1881 he married a Japanese woman Toda Hanako and had four children In the summer of 1899 Balz visited the Korean capital Seoul and Busan and undertook ethnological investigations From 22 April to 3 July 1903 he was again in Korea and together with Richard Wunsch undertook an expedition into the interior of the country In 1902 he was appointed personal physician in waiting to Emperor Meiji and the Imperial household of Japan Balz taught more than 800 students in Western medicine during his tenure at the Tokyo Imperial University During his stay in Japan he treated some of the most influential men in the Meiji government including Prime Ministers Itō Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo On Balz s initiative the volcanic springs of Kusatsu 200 km away from Tokyo were transformed into the most successful hot spring resort of Japan He compared the area with the European spa resort of Karlsbad and felt that mountainous air as well as the clear waters was very conducive to health Another medical contribution was the discovery and naming of Mongolian spot Finding an unrecorded feature of blue spots in Japanese babies he thought these spots were characteristic of people of Mongolian origin 1 2 3 In 1905 Balz returned to Germany with his family 4 In Stuttgart late in the summer of 1913 Balz succumbed to heart disease Legacy EditBalz was also an ardent art collector the majority of the Japanese works collected by him are located at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart A stone sculpture at his alma mater University of Tubingen is a reminder of his contributions to Japanese medical science In 1961 a sister city relationship between Kusatsu and Bietigheim Bissingen was established After his death his diary Das Leben eines deutschen Arztes im erwachenden Japan 1931 tr The Diary of a German Doctor in Awakening Japan was published giving unique insights into Japan in the Meiji era In 1883 while staying at the Fujiya Hotel in Miyanoshita Hakone Balz noticed that his maid s hands were chapped He made a mixture of glycerin and water for her which was later sold widely in Japan under the name of Balz Water It is also listed in the Japan Pharmacopoeia During his time in Japan Balz became a fan of judo and is credited with introducing the sport to Germany In the year 2000 a commemorative museum honoring Balz was erected in Kusatsu 5 References Edit Baelz E Die koerperlichen Eigenschaften der Japaner 1885 Mittheil d deutschen Gesell f Natur und Volkerkunde Ostasiens Bd 4 H 32 Circumscribed dermal melanocytosis Mongolian spot 1981 Kikuchi I Inoue S in Biology and Diseases of Dermatal Pigmentation University of Tokyo Press Gonzalez John Moran Lomas Laura 2018 The Cambridge History of Latina o American Literature Cambridge University Press p 135 ISBN 9781316872208 Erinnerungen der Familie Balz European Karate Guide to KusatsuBibliography EditBaelz Erwin Awakening Japan The Diary of a German Doctor Indiana University Press 1974 Translated by Eden and Cedar Paul ISBN 0 253 31090 3 Fujitani T Splendid Monarchy Power and Pageantry in Modern Japan University of California Press Reprint edition 1998 ISBN 0 520 21371 8 Keene Donald Emperor Of Japan Meiji And His World 1852 1912 Columbia University Press 2005 ISBN 0 231 12341 8 Hasegawa Akio Hakone that Prof Balz lovedExternal links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Erwin Balz Newspaper clippings about Erwin Balz in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Erwin Balz amp oldid 1154272136, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
