Medical tests started in the 1940s and 1950s, searching for the cause of the disease. Initially, it was expected to be lead poisoning due to the lead mining upstream. Only in 1955 did Dr. Ogino and his colleagues suspect cadmium as the cause of the disease. Ogino coined the term itai-itai disease.
Salix babylonica, commonly called weeping willow or Babylon weeping willow, is a medium to large deciduous tree with a stout trunk topped by a graceful broad-rounded crown of branches that sweep downward to the ground.It grows to 30-50â (sometimes to 60â) tall and as wide.It is native to China.alix babylonica, commonly called weeping willow or Babylon weeping willow, is a medium to large deciduous tree with a stout trunk topped by a graceful broad-rounded crown of branches that sweep downward to the ground. It grows to 30-50â (sometimes to 60â) tall and as wide. It is native to China.
The beauty of the weeping willow, and its dense shade, makes it an enticing tree to plant in the home landscape, but it is susceptible to numerous pests and diseases. Borers, caterpillars, scale and lacebugs are common problems, as are canker, branch blight, root rot, rust and sooty mold.he weeping willow constantly sheds leaves and twigs and has weak branches that can break off in storms and damage nearby structures; its numerous roots can make it impossible to work the soil beneath it to plant flowers or groundcover.