Shibata Shokei (柴田承桂)
Shokei SHIBATA (June 21, 1850 - August 2, 1910) was a chemist and pharmacologist in the Meiji period. He was the father of Keita SHIBATA and Yuji SHIBATA.
Brief Personal History
Shokei SHIBATA was born in Nagoya as the second son of Shuji NAGASAKA, who was a Chinese medicine doctor. He had a younger brother, Sekitai NAGASAKA, who was a kajin (poet) and calligrapher. Shokei was the adopted child of Shokei SHIBATA (柴田承慶), who was a doctor in the Owari Domain, and inherited the SHIBATA family property, but rather than become a doctor, he decided on a career as a chemist and pharmacologist. In 1869, he was recommended by the Owari Domain and became a koshinsei (government supported student) at Daigaku Toko (the predecessor of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo). Two years later, the Ministry of Education ordered Shokei to go to Germany to study organic chemistry under August Wilhelm von Hofmann, who was at the Humboldt University of Berlin, after which Shokei studied pharmacy and hygienics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He came back in 1874, and became the first professor of the Department of medicine manufacturing at the Tokyo Igakko (Tokyo Medical School). He joined the translation project of "Hyakkazensho (Encyclopedia, or systematic dictionary of the sciences, arts, and crafts)" and was in charge of translation of 'geology,' 'orchardry' and 'history of ancient time' (which introduced the subject of archaeology to Japan for the first time). After that, he successively filled posts as director of Shiyaku (medical and pharmaceutical test) in the Health and Medical Bureau of the Ministry of Education and manager of both the Tokyo Shiyakujo and Osaka Shiyakujo (national medical and pharmaceutical products test laboratory organization), but retired from that work because he was prone to illness and after that, he devoted himself to literary work. In addition, although he was no longer in a government post, he was still engaged in compiling the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, which was enacted in 1886, and the revision of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia in 1891. He became a Doctor of Pharmacology in 1903.
His cremated body was divided into two portions and entombed separately in Koukotsu-ji Temple in Shinjuku, Tokyo and Daiho-ji Temple in Chikusa-ku (Ward), Nagoya City.
Literary work
Shokei SHIBATA's literary works are as shown below.
"Puroshia Gakkou Kisoku (Prussia School regulations)" written by Adalbert FALK, translated by Shokei SHIBATA, published by the Ministry of Education in 1877
"Eisei Gairon (Introduction to Hygiene)" written by Risuke SHIMAMURA and Zenshichi MARUYA, translated and edited by Shokei SHIBATA in 1879-1882
"Butsurigaku (Physics)" written by Risuke SHIMAMURA and Zenshichi MARUYA, edited by Teizo IIMORI, proofread and assisted by Keizo TANBA and Shokei SHIBATA in 1879-1882
"Kennyoho (The Method of Urinalysis)" authored by Karl Theodor Ludwing NEUBAUER, translated by Junichiro SHIMOYAMA, proofread and assisted by Shokei SHIBATA, written by Junichiro SHIMOYAMA in 1881
"Koshu Eisei Ron (The Theory of Public Health)" written by Friedrich SANDEL, translated by Shokei SHIBATA, revised by Sensai NAGAYO, published by Chikuunshooku in 1882
"Futsu Dobutsu Gaku (General Zoology) " written by Risuke SHIMAMURA and Zenshichi MARUYA, edited by Keizo TANBA and Shokei SHIBATA, assisted by Kazuma TAKAMATSU in 1883
"Yakuhin Meii (List of Medicine Names)" new and revised edition, written by Risuke SHIMAMURA and Zenshichi MARUYA, proofread and assisted by Yuzuru ITO, Shokei SHIBATA and Junnosuke MURAI in 1883
"Rinsho Yakusetsu (The Theory of Clinical Drugs)" written by Shuji NAGASAKA, edited by Jyugoro ISE and Shokei SHIBATA in 1884
"Futsu Kinseki Gaku (General Epigraphy)" written by Risuke SHIMAMURA and others, edited by Zenan KUMAZAWA and Shokei SHIBATA in 1885
"Inryo Sui (Drinking Water)" written by Risuke SHIMAMURA, edited by Hidematsu TAKAHASHI and Shokei SHIBATA, proofread and assisted by Shu IKUTA in 1887
"Nihon Yakkyokuho Zuihan (Japanese Pharmacopeia Accompaniment)" written by Seitoku KASHIMURA and others, edited by Seitoku KASHIMURA and Jugoro ISE, asisted by Shokei SHIBATA in 1887
"Hairo Densen Yobo Ron (The Theory of Prevention for Contagion of Pulmonary Tuberculosis)" written by Georg CORNET, translated by Shokei SHIBATA, published by Maruzen and Nankodo in 1891
"Mukikagakusui (Inorganic Chemistry)"revised 8th edition, written by Tou YAMADA, revised and expanded by Shokei SHIBATA in 1906
"Yakuyo Shokubutsu Gaku (Medicinal Plants and Herbs)" edited by Junichiro SHIMOYAMA, corrected by Shokei SHIBATA in 1910