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The Medical Museum of Nagoya University is located on the fourth floor of the Medical Library. It collects, preserves, and exhibits antique medical books, historical medical instruments, photographs and other items to promote understanding of the history of the Nagoya University School of Medicine in the context of the Tokai district and to look forward to the future of medical science. Parts of the collections can be accessed through the Digital Archive. Registration at the Medical Library counter is required for the actual use of these materials. |
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7. A critical moment for the School |
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The School faced a critical moment in the Meiji period's early 20s.
At the end of the Meiji 10s, local government finances became exhausted by crop failures and the recession due to the Matsukata deflationary policy, and many medical schools were forced to be abolished in Mie and Gifu Prefectures. In addition, the Ministry of Education issued Imperial Ordinance No. 48, "They (management expenses for medical schools) shall not be paid with local taxes with effect from Meiji year 21 (1888)", with the intention of selectively culling scattered prefectural medical schools on a financial basis. These measures had no impact on the medical departments of national higher schools, but it followed that 18 prefectural medical schools were abolished, with only three remaining in Kyoto, Osaka and Aichi.
Aichi Medical School was also at risk of being closed down, but KUMAGAI Konosuke, president of the school since Meiji year 16 (1883), rejected the private appointment orders of the director of a certain medical department and instead accepted the pledge of the prefectural governor: "No interference, leave the matter entirely to the president". He gathered all the school and hospital staff members together, and explained his vision to obtain their consent: "If other schools close down, the number of transfer students will increase, which will lead to an increase in tuition fee income. If the hospital extends its opening hours and treats patients kindly, the hospital's income will increase. On the other hand, our budget must be tightened. Salaries may also be reduced." KUMAGAI decided to manage the school and the hospital on an independent basis.
KUMAGAI's prediction proved correct. Transfer students from other schools exceeded 200 and the number of students doubled. Measures such as a rise in tuition fees, eight-hour shifts, the establishment of a department of obstetrics and gynecology, the conversion of student lodgings into wards, increases in the number of teachers and curriculum revision proved effective. In the Meiji early 20s, the school and the hospital achieved temporary stability in their management and recorded a net income of more than 500 yen per year.
However, there were gaps in every respect between the standard of the national higher school medical department at which KUMAGAI aimed, and the reality: small classrooms, shortage of medical equipment, lack of subjects for dissection, and deficiencies in the operating room, which could not be covered by the surplus fund of just over 500 yen. Besides this, KUMAGAI was concerned about there being no way to prepare for unexpected disasters, taking into account the teachers' retirement allowance.
At that time a sudden uproar occurred: "An excellent sponsor has petitioned to purchase or borrow the school and the hospital, offering support its management and improve the facilities. President KUMAGAI readily consented to the proposal…" (written by MORI Ogai).
This petition, presented by a big sponsor, namely the three sects of Shinshu (New Pure Land Buddhism), to the prefectural governor was criticized by the press, and vehemently opposed by public opinion among prefectural assembly members and medical practitioners in particular. Further, all the students, more than 380, requested transfers to the Kyoto Prefectural Medical School and expressed their determination to go on strike. Finally MORI Ogai, a valued friend of KUMAGAI, took the initiative in supporting him. This incident settled down due to the prefectural governor's rejection of the petition in less than three months (from February to April 1891). However, it proved to be a second turning point for the question of the School's continuation or abolition. In October that year, the Nobi area (Aichi and Gifu) was attacked by a severe earthquake. The School organized an aid team and treated the victims despite the collapse of its anatomy classroom and others.
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