The Biography of Misao Kawai --The person who advocated the National Pharmacy during the Taisho Period

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  • 河合操による大正期の「薬局国営」の提唱とその生涯
  • カワイソウ ニ ヨル タイショウキ ノ 「 ヤッキョク コクエイ 」 ノ テイショウ ト ソノ ショウガイ

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Abstract

Purpose： This paper reviews the history of Misao Kawai, a proponent of the National Pharmacy modeled after the postal office system had fallen into oblivion. Method： In this article, the authors shed light on the ideas and life of Misao Kawai by studying his curriculum vitae, petitions for the National Diet and records kept by the local pharmaceutical associations. Results： Misao Kawai was born in 1867 and entered the predecessor of the Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences. He received his pharmacist license in 1887 and opened his pharmacy in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture in 1892. Many people came to his pharmacy, the mottos of which were based on the Christian beliefs of serving the community and treating everyone with kindness. In those days, prescriptions written by physicians and dispensed by pharmacists (i.e., bungyo in Japanese) did not exist. To promote this ideal, as the chairman of the Nagano Pharmaceutical Association, Kawai advocated a National Pharmacy. Despite the rejection of his motion by the board of representatives of the Japan Pharmaceutical Association, he sent petitions to the National Diet. In 1922 and 1924, however, legislators did not approve the introduction of a National Pharmacy, and as the result, Kawai resigned as the chairman of the association. After his resignation, he enjoyed exchanges with prominent figures such as Kanzo Uchimura and the third daughter of Tolstoy. In 1931, at the age of 64, he was re-elected as the chairman of the Nagano Pharmaceutical Association. He promoted bungyo at clinics held by the Ministry of Communications before resigning as the association's chairman in 1933. He studied the Bible in his later years and passed away in 1943 at the age of 78. Conclusion： Although the idea of National Pharmacy was rejected by the Japan Pharmaceutical Association and the petitions Kawai submitted to the National Diet were also rejected, these efforts may have become emotional support to the Ueda model of regional surface separation (Ueda no men-bungyo in Japanese). He had dedicated his life to Christianity and the promotion of bungyo.

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