Japan in the twentieth century got to work in advancing human knowledge. By 1966 they could display a machine that uses an isotope of cobalt to shoot gamma rays into the brain to destroy cancerous brain tumors. Better than Buck Rodgers, his ray guns were only for fun. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
When I spotted this stamp in an old stock book of mine, I thought this stamp would tell a different story about Japan. I assumed it was industrial equipment and the story would be about Japan exporting it’s way to prosperity by low wages, dumping product, undervalued yen and taking advantage of cold war “allies”. The fact that this stamp is semi postal should have clued me in to a more interesting story. Of a nation making a national priority of fighting a disease that was killing many and not just Japanese. The surcharge was to allow the Japanese postal patron be a part of it.
Todays stamp is issue SP9, a 7 +3 Yen semi postal stamp issued by Japan on October 21st, 1966. It was a two stamp issue displaying Japanese developed treatments for cancer in honor of an international convention in Tokyo that year. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents whether mint or used. You would think Japanese collectors would have bid up the value of a stamp showing a gamma ray machine by the time it was 53 years old.
Japan first organized cancer medical research all the way back in 1908. They have never stopped the research and there are over 15,000 people employed in the field. Advancements made are not kept just for Japan as there is collaboration on a large scale internationally including annual conventions in Hawaii to share information with American researchers.
The machine displayed on the stamp is called a gamma knife. The patient suffering from brain tumors puts on a helmet with many tiny holes that can shoot gamma rays as directly as possible at the tumors. The more precise the direction limits the damage done to nearby non cancerous cells. The gamma rays are derived from an isotope of cobalt 60, a naturally occurring metal. Very advanced for 1966. There is now a newer machine called a linear accelerator that can deliver larger doses of the cobalt isotope for use against bigger tumors.
Unlike years ago, Japan has a lower rate of cancer than the USA. There used to be a very high incidence of stomach cancer in Japan that related to the Japanese diet, but after the connection the diet was changed relating to the shellfish behind it. One cancer that has gotten worse in Japan recently is breast cancer. It is thought that Japanese women waiting longer to have children is behind the rise. Japan is a nation with a long life expectancy, and since cancer usually hits later in life it would be expected to have higher numbers of victims. The fact that it does not and the mortality rate for cancer in Japan if relatively low shows the benefit of the research focus over the long term.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the gamma ray and the machines that fire them. Who knew it could be more than just for fun. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.