lacquer chest with the same crest in gold upon it as Dr。 Nosoki
wore in white on his haori。 This contained a medicine chest of
fine gold lacquer； fitted up with shelves； drawers； bottles； etc。
He compounded a lotion first； with which he bandaged my hand and
arm rather skilfully； telling me to pour the lotion over the
bandage at intervals till the pain abated。 The whole was covered
with oiled paper； which answers the purpose of oiled silk。 He then
compounded a febrifuge； which； as it is purely vegetable； I have
not hesitated to take； and told me to drink it in hot water； and to
avoid sake for a day or two！
I asked him what his fee was； and； after many bows and much
spluttering and sucking in of his breath； he asked if I should
think half a yen too much； and when I presented him with a yen； and
told him with a good deal of profound bowing on my part that I was
exceedingly glad to obtain his services； his gratitude quite
abashed me by its immensity。
Dr。 Nosoki is one of the old…fashioned practitioners； whose medical
knowledge has been handed down from father to son； and who holds
out； as probably most of his patients do； against European methods
and drugs。 A strong prejudice against surgical operations；
specially amputations； exists throughout Japan。 With regard to the
latter； people think that； as they came into the world complete； so
they are bound to go out of it； and in many places a surgeon would
hardly be able to buy at any price the privilege of cutting off an
arm。
Except from books these older men know nothing of the mechanism of
the human body； as dissection is unknown to native science。 Dr。
Nosoki told me that he relies mainly on the application of the moxa
and on acupuncture in the treatment of acute diseases； and in
chronic maladies on friction； medicinal baths； certain animal and
vegetable medicines； and certain kinds of food。 The use of leeches
and blisters is unknown to him； and he regards mineral drugs with
obvious suspicion。 He has heard of chloroform； but has never seen
it used； and considers that in maternity it must necessarily be
fatal either to mother or child。 He asked me （and I have twice
before been asked the same question） whether it is not by its use
that we endeavour to keep down our redundant population！ He has
great faith in ginseng； and in rhinoceros horn； and in the powdered
liver of some animal； which； from the description； I understood to
be a tigerall specifics of the Chinese school of medicines。 Dr。
Nosoki showed me a small box of 〃unicorn's〃 horn； which he said was
worth more than its weight in gold！ As my arm improved
coincidently with the application of his lotion； I am bound to give
him the credit of the cure。
I invited him to dinner； and two tables were produced covered with
different dishes； of which he ate heartily； showing most singular
dexterity with his chopsticks in removing the flesh of small； bony
fish。 It is proper to show appreciation of a repast by noisy
gulpings； and much gurgling and drawing in of the breath。
Etiquette rigidly prescribes these performances； which are most
distressing to a European； and my guest nearly upset my gravity by
them。
The host and the kocho； or chief man of the village； paid me a
formal visit in the evening； and Ito； en grande tenue； exerted
himself immensely on the occasion。 They were much surprised at my
not smoking； and supposed me to be under a vow！ They asked me many
questions about our customs and Government； but frequently reverted
to tobacco。
I。 L。 B。
LETTER XX
The Effect of a ChickenPoor FareSlow TravellingObjects of
InterestKak'keThe Fatal CloseA Great FireSecurity of the
Kuras。
SHINGOJI； July 21。
Very early in the morning； after my long talk with the Kocho of
Kanayama； Ito wakened me by saying； 〃You'll be able for a long
day's journey to…day； as you had a chicken yesterday；〃 and under
this chicken's marvellous influence we got away at 6。45； only to
verify the proverb； 〃The more haste the worse speed。〃 Unsolicited
by me the Kocho sent round the village to forbid the people from
assembling； so I got away in peace with a pack…horse and one
runner。 It was a terrible road； with two severe mountain…passes to
cross； and I not only had to walk nearly the whole way； but to help
the man with the kuruma up some of the steepest places。 Halting at
the exquisitely situated village of Nosoki； we got one horse； and
walked by a mountain road along the head…waters of the Omono to
Innai。 I wish I could convey to you any idea of the beauty and
wildness of that mountain route； of the surprises on the way； of
views； of the violent deluges of rain which turned rivulets into
torrents； and of the hardships and difficulties of the day； the
scanty fare of sun…dried rice dough and sour yellow rasps； and the
depth of the mire through which we waded！ We crossed the Shione
and Sakatsu passes； and in twelve hours accomplished fifteen miles！
Everywhere we were told that we should never get through the
country by the way we are going。
The women still wear trousers； but with a long garment tucked into
them instead of a short one； and the men wear a cotton combination
of breastplate and apron； either without anything else； or over
their kimonos。 The descent to Innai under an avenue of
cryptomeria； and the village itself； shut in with the rushing
Omono； are very beautiful。
The yadoya at Innai was a remarkably cheerful one； but my room was
entirely fusuma and shoji； and people were peeping in the whole
time。 It is not only a foreigner and his strange ways which
attract attention in these remote districts； but； in my case； my
india…rubber bath； air…pillow； and； above all； my white mosquito
net。 Their nets are all of a heavy green canvas； and they admire
mine so much； that I can give no more acceptable present on leaving
than a piece of it to twist in with the hair。 There were six
engineers in the next room who are surveying the passes which I had
crossed； in order to see if they could be tunnelled； in which case
kurumas might go all the way from Tokiyo to Kubota on the Sea of
Japan； and； with a small additional outlay； carts also。
In the two villages of Upper and Lower Innai there has been an
outbreak of a malady much dreaded by the Japanese； called kak'ke；
which； in the last seven months； has carried off 100 persons out of
a population of about 1500； and the local doctors have been aided
by two sent from the Medical School at Kubota。 I don't know a
European name for it； the Japanese name signifies an affection of
the legs。 Its first symptoms are a loss of strength in the legs；
〃looseness in the knees；〃 cramps in the calves； swelling； and
numbness。 This； Dr。 Anderson； who has studied kak'ke in more than
1100 cases in Tokiyo； calls the sub…acute form。 The chronic is a
slow； numbing； and wasting malady； which； if unchecked； results in
death from paralysis and exhaustion in from six months to three
years。 The third； or acute form； Dr。 Anderson describes thus。
After remarking that the grave symptoms set in quite unexpectedly；
and go on rapidly increasing； he says：… 〃The patient now can lie
down no longer； he sits up in bed and tosses restlessly from one
position to another； and； with wrinkled brow； staring and anxious
eyes； dusky skin； blue； parted lips； dilated nostrils； throbbing
neck； and labouring chest； presents a picture of the most terrible
distress that the worst of diseases can inflict。 There is no
intermission even for a moment； and the physician； here almost
powerless； can do little more than note the failing pulse and
falling temperature； and wait for the moment when the brain；
paralysed by the carbonised blood； shall become insensible； and
allow the dying man to pass his last moments in merciful
unconsciousness。〃 ｛15｝
The next morning； after riding nine miles through a quagmire； under
grand avenues of cryptomeria； and noticing with regret that the
telegraph poles ceased； we reached Yusowa； a town of 7000 people；
in which； had it not been for provoking delays； I should have slept
instead of at Innai； and found that a fire a few hours previously
had destroyed seventy houses； including the yadoya at which I
should have lodged。 We had to wait two hours for horses； as all
were engaged in moving property and people。 The ground where the
houses had stood was absolutely bare of everything but fine black
ash； among which the kuras stood blackened； and； in some instances；
slightly cracked； but in all unharmed。 Already skeletons of new
houses were rising。 No life had been lost except that of a tipsy
man； but I should probably have lost everything but my money。
LETTER XX（Continued）
Lunch in PublicA Grotesque AccidentPolice InquiriesMan or
Woman？A Melancholy StareA Vicious HorseAn Ill…favoured Town
A DisappointmentA Torii。
Yusowa is a specially objectionable…looking place。 I took my
luncha wretched meal of a tasteless white curd made from beans；
with some condensed milk added to itin a yard； and the people
crowded in hundreds to the gate； and those behind； being unable to
see me； got ladders and climbed on the adjacent roofs； where they
remained till one of the r