[A historical survey of diphtheria in Europe, China and Japan. Part I: ancient and medieval age].

The history of diphtheria has not yet been fully studied. The author presents two cases of diphtheria from the Hippocratic collection. It is presumed that a tracheotomy was performed in one of them. The author presents the ancient Chinese names of diphtheria, Houbi (Kōhi) which means "laryngeal obstruction", Mengju (Mōso) which means "fulminant carbuncle" and Yaoju (Yōso) which means "children-killing carbuncle", from Chinese medical classics, and suggests that Shaoyinbing (Shōinbyō) which means "small negative disease", in Shanghanlun (Shōkanron) is possible to be diphtheria. In the Medieval Age (6-15c.), so many records and commentaries are found in Chinese medical books, which describe diphtheria by many different names, such as Mabi (Bahi), Chanhoufeng (Tenkōfū), Datoubing (Daitōbyō) and so on. Mabi means fulminant diphtheria. Chanhoufeng means strangling disease, which coincides with the old Spanish name of diphtheria "Garrotillo." Datoubing means "big head disease" which represents the swelling of face and neck in malignant diphtheria, and which coincides with the English vulgar name "Bull-neck." Japan also has some descriptions about diphtheria in medical books and chronicles of the Kamakura-Muromachi Age (13-15c.), which use the words Houbi (Kōhi), Houzhong (Kōshu) etc. for diphtheria.