Minamata Disease was brought in attention in 2020 from a Hollywood star, Johnny Deep where he plays the role of the American photographer W. Eugene Smith, who w

Minamata Disease was brought in attention in 2020 from a Hollywood star, Johnny Deep where he plays the role of the American photographer W. Eugene Smith, who was famous for his numerous "photographic essays". In the mid-1950s, the villagers started to notice their cats behaving strangely—specifically, falling into the sea. Some people even believed the cats had begun to dance, while others thought it was an act of suicide. However, this 'dancing cat fever' wasn't demonic possession. It was a case of environmental poisoning. At the time, people consumed fish that had been contaminated by large quantities of mercury compounds discharged into Minamata Bay by a chemical factory. Minamata Disease is a type of methylmercury poisoning that leads to neurological symptoms. The condition develops after a person consumes heavily contaminated seafood regularly.