Fujikawa Collection (Old Japanese Medical Books Collection)

A major part of the Old Japanese Medical Books Collection at the Shinanomachi Media Center (Kitasato Memorial Medical Library) is composed of the Fujikawa Collection, which was previously owned by Dr. Yu Fujikawa (1865-1940) who taught history of medicine at the Keio University School of Medicine. Dr. Fujikawa is known to have established the field of Japanese medical history, and his work Nihon Igaku-shi (A history of medicine in Japan) received the Imperial Prize of the Imperial Academy (later Japan Academy) in 1912. Keio University School of Medicine Professor Ranzaburo Ootori (1908-1996) who attended his lectures recalled at the beginning of his book Koisho Mokuroku Kaitei-ban (Catalog of historical collections revised edition) that Dr. Fujikawa would wrap about 20 books in a furoshiki cloth and carry the books from his home in Kamakura to Keio University to show to the students during his lectures. A part of his collection, consisting of around 1,700 items and 3,600 books were donated by his family members to the Shinanomachi Media Center. Fujikawa's collection includes well-known works such as Kaitai Shinsho (New text on anatomy), Chotei Kaitai Shinsho (Revised new text on anatomy), Rangaku Kaitei (Introduction to the Dutch language) by Gentaku Otsuki, Kororichijun (Nursing care for cholera) by Koan Ogata, and Oranda Banashi (Dutch anecdotes) by Rishun Goto, known as the earliest publication to mention electricity. The extensiveness of Dr. Fujikawa's collection becomes apparent when combined with his collection housed at Kyoto University.