Tsukasa Hirota’s 18 years as the court physician
Tsukasa Hirota’s 18 years as the court physician
Tsukasa Hirota, who founded Wakodo Pharmacy, the predecessor of Wakodo Co. Ltd., was also the first Professor of Pediatrics at Tokyo Imperial University and the first pediatrician in Japan. On August 5, 1902, Professor Hirota was appointed the court physician for the then 14-month-old Prince Michinomiya (Later the Emperor Showa) by the Imperial Household Department in the capacity of Imperial Service Professionals. He maintained this service until his retirement on October 7, 1935. A famous anecdote has it that when Prince Michinomiya suffered Diphtheria, despite the court chancellor’s hesitation, “To use the serum made from horse blood, we must have the Emperor Meiji’s permission,” Professor Hirota made a unilateral decision to administer the serum, as “We have no time.” The Prince made a full recovery.
Doctor Tsukasa Hirota
Doctor Tsukasa Hirota
Born 1859 in Nakamura-cho, Hata-gun, Kochi as the first son of an Army surgeon, Chikaatsu Hirota. Graduated from the School of Medicine, Tokyo Imperial University in 1880. Studied in Germany at Strasburg University. Initially majored in Surgery, but changed his specialty to Pediatrics, as recommended by a pediatrician Dr. Koltz, who saw Hirota’s love of children. Became a professor of Medicine at Tokyo Imperial University, and founded the first pediatrics department in Japan in 1889. Hirota made many tanka on children.
“Osanago no asobi tsukarete ineshi sobani haha wa itokuru warabuki no ie”
(A toddler, sleeping after playing, by his side, mother spins, in a country house)
ASAHI GROUP FOODS,LTD. become an owner of WAKODO brand products. （As of 1, July 2017）
